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enMon, 19 Mar 2018 03:01:18 +0100Fri, 16 Mar 2018 15:24:54 +0100http://content.presspage.com/clients/150_567.jpghttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/
144EASTER WEEK IN SPAINhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/easter-week-in-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/easter-week-in-spain/Easter week in Spain is one of the country's most significant events. Processions take place all over the country bringing tradition, colour and music to the streets. As well as the processions, visitors can enjoy traditional Easter sweets such as torrijas (sliced bread soaked in milk, sugar and egg and then fried in olive oil), Monas de Pascua (Easter chocolates with a surprise inside), Easter doughnuts, leche frita (fried milk and egg dessert), and various pastries.

If you're in Spain for Easter week, here's what to expect in Granada, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Vallodolid, Malaga, Cartagena and Salamanca:

Granada

The monumental settings in which the celebrations take place are what make Easter so special in Granada. Celebrations are held in the Albayzίn quarter, the Alhambra and the Sacromente hills in the shape of religious processions. Huge fires are lit on Holy Wednesday, before the Cristo de Silencio procession takes place on Holy Thursday, followed by another procession on Good Friday. The most impressive of the processions takes place on Easter Sunday, when the streets are a sea of colour with children carrying lanterns.

Valencia

Valencia celebrates Easter with three rituals: the Blessing of the Palms, the Procession of the Holy Burial, and the Resurrection Parade. Religious floats flood the streets, as well as re-enactments of scenes from the Bible, with people playing music and chiming bells. The highlight is the re-enactment of the Holy Burial, which takes place on Good Friday and is taken very seriously by the locals who watch over in silence. The festive spirit is at an all-time high on Easter Sunday and Monday when families convene at the old river bed to feast on Easter food.

Seville

Seville’s celebrations are famous for the statues of the Virgin Mary, in which only the face and hands are revealed while the rest of the figures are swathed in luxurious clothing. The region holds a total of 58 organised processions each year, with a huge 50,000 people taking part, playing music, wearing traditional robes and carrying religious statues from Cathedrals to churches. On the eve of Good Friday, the statues are carried through the streets and the atmosphere is heavy with emotion and passion as spectators look on in respect.

Murcia

Easter in Murcia centres around people dressed in fine, colourful tunics and a bag around their waist filled with treats to give out to friends and family as they follow the procession through the streets. Other parades that also take place include the Refuge, the Rescue, Health, and the Return, signifying the life of Christ. The most impressive procession is held on Good Friday at dawn, with floats symbolising different chapters of the life of Jesus, including The Supper, The Prayer in the Garden, The Capture and The Fall.

Valladolid

The stars of the processions here are the intricate statues created by well-known Spanish Baroque sculptures. The processions kick off on Good Friday, with riders on horseback making poetic proclamations throughout the city, before the ‘Sermon of the Seven Words’ is spoken in Plaza Mayor . Thousands of people take part in the religious procession through the streets, with the most emotional moment being the return of the Virgen de las Angustias to the church.

Malaga

There are two main highlights of Easter week in Malaga, one is on Good Friday in the Plaza de Arriola square, when nuns of the La Cruz convent sing to the Brotherhood of Los Dolores de San Juan, and the other is the great processional thrones. Famous for the freeing of a prisoner, this event is the result of a historical protest when Easter week processions were suspended due to an epidemic. Prisoners broke out in order to carry the statue of Jesus through the streets and once the statue had reached the church, the prisoners returned to their cells. Now, a prisoner is released each year to accompany the procession in commemoration.

Cartagena

The religious celebrations that take place in Cartagena are particularly spectacular due to the intricate floral decorations that adorn the religious statues during the processions. Spectators can enjoy the mesmerising colours and scents as they watch the processions that symbolise the story of Christ in chronological order, while members of religious brotherhoods distribute souvenirs and sweets to the gathered crowds.

Salamanca

The Easter week celebrations start on Maundy Thursday in Salamanca with a service at the old university chapel. All of the university professors attend in their academic robes and traditional chocolates and sweets are given out at the end. The historic city centre provides a beautiful setting for the religious processions, the most stunning spots include the Casa de las Conchas, the House of the Shells, and the Arrabal and Clerecia churches.

]]>Spain,Easter,celebrations,religious,festivals,Granada,Valencia,Seville,Murcia,Valladolid,Malaga,Salamanca,cartagenaMon, 12 Mar 2018 09:00:00 +0100Celebrate the arrival of Spring at Valencia's Las Fallas fiestahttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/celebrate-the-arrival-of-spring-at-valencias-las-fallas-fiesta/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/celebrate-the-arrival-of-spring-at-valencias-las-fallas-fiesta/The streets of Valencia come alive in March with the arrival of spring marked by the annual Las Fallas festival. Fireworks, music, traditional clothing and giant sculptures, made from papier-mâché and taking the shape of well-known personalities and celebrities are burnt as a way of leaving negativity behind and welcoming the new season.

From 15 to 19 March, those celebrating Las Fallas fill the streets of the city, with over 2 million visitors gathering in Valencia during Spain’s most unique and wild festival. 800 giant sculptures are made out of wood, plaster and papier-mâché before being burnt on huge fires throughout the city.

Between 1 and 19 March, at 2pm every day the traditional sound of the mascletá begins to play from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, followed by a display of gunpowder explosions that beat out in time to the music. The city’s terraces soon begin to fill as people enjoy aperitifs and traditional Valencian food under the Mediterranean sun.

From 15 to 18 March, Valencia’s sky is filled with colour and light thanks to the impressive firework displays. People gather on the Paseo de la Alameda at 12 midnight where the most spectacular display can be seen. The Nit del foc (night of fire) takes place on 18th March in the early hours, boasting a one-of-a-kind firework display.

The 15 March is when the ‘plantà of fallas’ takes place; when the 800 sculptures are installed throughout Valencia’s squares and streets during the evening. The morning of the 16 March sees the city filled with caricatures which can be enjoyed by visitors over the next few days.

The night of 19 March sees the Fallas monuments burnt - apart from two ninots which are chosen by vote and saved from the flames to be shown at the Fallas Museum. Crowds gather throughout the streets, locals enjoy typical buñuelos, a kind of sweet fried doughnut, from one of the many stalls – often served with a thick, hot chocolate drink.

Las Fallas is a wonderful festival, and a great time of year to visit Valencia and get a taste for their love of local fiestas and celebrations.

]]>Valencia,Las Fallas,Celebration,Fiesta,Spring,SpainThu, 01 Mar 2018 18:35:45 +0100Best Places To See The Blossom and Beginning of Spring in Spainhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/best-places-to-see-the-blossom-and-beginning-of-spring-in-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/best-places-to-see-the-blossom-and-beginning-of-spring-in-spain/Throughout Spain the arrival of blossom signifies the beginning of spring. Stunning displays of cherry, orange and almond blossom can be enjoyed in many locations around the country, each with a distinct aroma and colour.

Jerte Valley, Extremadura – Cherry Blossom

Every March near the town of Cáceres, in Extremadura the hills come alive with pink cherry blossom. Towards the end of March or beginning of April the landscape changes completely and the mountains turn white and pink for around ten days. Visitors can stroll from village to village taking in the sight and smell of the cherry blossom. Locals celebrate the arrival of spring and the beautiful blossom with exhibitions, medieval markets, tasting routes and musical performances throughout the local towns and villages.

Seville, Andalucía – Orange Blossom

The city of Seville is filled with the subtle fragrance of azahar – orange blossom – in springtime. Seville in March is cool but sunny, so visitors can roam around the city taking in the sweet smelling blossom from the 40,000 trees that line the streets and squares. Seville oranges were used in ancient times by the Arabs to make perfume – legend has it that Genoese sailors picked up the trees in Asia and brought them to Spain, where they represented good luck, which explains why there are so many planted in the city and its gardens.

Ibiza, Balearic Islands – Almond Blossom

For five weeks over February and March, an orchard in the northeast village of Santa Ines, Ibiza, is covered by a pink and white blanket of almond blossom. The fall of these five weeks changes every year depending on the sun and warmth the trees received over winter. The valley becomes enveloped in a peaceful display of spring blossom, which locals see as marking the end of winter and the coming of spring. Visitors can enjoy an afternoon stroll in the spring sunshine, with almond aroma filling the air.

]]>Spain,Andalucia,Seville,Ibiza,BalearicIslands,Extremadura,Jerte Valley,Blossom,Spring,Cherry Blossom,Almond Blossom,Orange Blossom,AromaWed, 21 Feb 2018 17:21:58 +0100The Many Ways Spain Celebrates Carnivalhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-many-ways-spain-celebrates-carnival/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-many-ways-spain-celebrates-carnival/The week leading up to Lent (February 14) sees some of the largest parties take place in Spain. It's one of the most vibrant and lively events in the Spanish calendar, where the streets are filled costumes, dancing and a fantastic celebratory atmosphere. Below are just a few places where carnival is celebrated throughout the country.

La Palma, Canary Islands

Although the smallest of the Canaries, carnival on La Palma is nothing short of extravagant. The carnival, which begins on February 12, showcases the influence Latin America has had on the island, starting with the Fiesta de Los Indianos. It is tradition to wear white clothing and parade through the cobbled streets whilst throwing talcum powder, before congregating in the Plaza de La Alameda, which is renamed Plaza Cubana throughout the celebrations, and is the centre of the party. The carnival has its history deep-rooted in the Latin America and Cuba, and is said to represent the riches the local men returned to the island with.

Cádiz, Andalucía

The home of the oldest carnival celebrations on mainland Spain, which date back to the 16th century, the coastal town of Cádiz spends nearly two weeks celebrating carnival between February 8 and 18. Influenced by Venice, an ancient trading partner, those partying in Cádiz paint their faces rather than wearing masks, and dressing up is mandatory. The emphasis is placed on wit and satire, and the many different musical groups, or Chirigotas perform and compete throughout the two weeks. Saturday 17 February is the biggest street party, followed by the main parade on Sunday where the floats are showcased and fireworks go all night to mark the end of the affair.

Sitges, Catalonia

One of the largest carnival celebrations takes place over a week from February 8 in Sitges. Over the week there are many processions to celebrate the run up to Lent, starting with one of the largest parades on Shrove Tuesday – The Rua de la Dixbauxa, or Debauchery Parade. It boasts 40 floats and up to 2,000 people taking part, filling the streets with colour and music. The Rua de l’Extermini, or Extermination Parade, marks the end of the celebrations on February 14, followed by the ‘Burial of the Sardine’ where partygoers mourn the idea of not consuming sardines during Lent, with a barbecue on the beach.

]]>Spain,Catalonia,Andalucia,La Palma,Canary Islands,Carnival,Celebration,Party,Culture,HistoryFri, 09 Feb 2018 18:40:27 +0100How To Spend Valentine's Day in One of Spain's Many Romantic Destinationshttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/how-to-spend-valentines-day-in-one-of-spains-many-romantic--destinations/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/how-to-spend-valentines-day-in-one-of-spains-many-romantic--destinations/Spain has endless options for a great Valentine’s Day destination, whether in the heart of a city or a coastal town, there are many unique locations to spend this special day with a loved one.

Segovia, Castile and León

For a fairy-tale Valentine’s Day in Segovia, first go to see the perfectly preserved first century AD Roman aqueduct, a truly impressive structure. Stop for a romantic lunch in the city centre, which has a charming Plaza Mayor, making sure to try Segovia’s delicacy: cochinillo or suckling pig, along with a glass of Ribero del Duero wine grown nearby. Sat atop a hill overlooking the city, Alcázar Segovia is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s castle. Finishing the day watching the sunset and with spectacular views over the city - it's the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Granada, Andalucía

Wake up early and get a glimpse of what life was like in the twelfth century at the beautiful Alhambra Palace and gardens. A blend of Moorish and Christian architecture, the magnificent grandeur makes for a magical romantic morning wandering palaces and their gardens. Grab a traditional Andalucían breakfast tostada con tomate – delicious garlic and tomato on toast with a drizzle of olive oil – beforehand, and afterwards head into the city centre still renowned for its culture of a free portion of tapas with a drink in most places. Spend the afternoon strolling through the winding, cobbled streets of Albayzín, finishing up at the Mirador de San Nicolas for a romantic sunset with a breathtaking view of the city. Granada is a special city to spend with a loved one.

Llanes, Asturias

With thirty-two white sand beaches and a backdrop of luscious green mountains, Llanes is the perfect place to spend Valentine’s Day. Wander to Gulpiyuri, a stunning inland beach, before enjoying a lunch accompanied by the region’s famous cider in the traditional fishing port town. Wander through the town to admire the beautiful Casas de Indianos – huge luxury villas built by those who made their fortune in The Indies in the 19th century – before finishing the romantic day on one of the many beaches. San Antolín and the Borizu peninsular offer unforgettable views of the Cantabrian Sea.

La Palma, Canary Islands

Start the day whale-watching in the north-west side of the island, where it’s possible to spot turtles and other marine life as well, before swimming in natural seawater pools. For the perfect end to the day, La Palma is renowned for stargazing thanks to the island’s high altitude, proximity to the equator, dark skies and restricted flight paths. Visit the El Roque de Los Muchachos observatory, home to the largest optical telescope in the world, or make a picnic and set up on the beach for the evening for a memorable Valentine’s Day.

]]>Spain,Travel,Andalucia,Asturias,Valentine's Day,La Palma,Canary Islands,Llanes,Granada,Segovia,Castile and Leon,RomanticMon, 05 Feb 2018 15:27:47 +0100Sadler’s Wells hosts 15th anniversary of Flamenco Festivalhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/sadlers-wells-hosts-15th-anniversary-of-flamenco-festival/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/sadlers-wells-hosts-15th-anniversary-of-flamenco-festival/The annual Flamenco Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre for its fifteenth edition this February. Some of the world’s finest flamenco dancers will be coming together under one roof between 14 and 25 February. This year with a feminine focus, and the aim of ‘reclaiming women’s stories and unearthing the true characters behind the dramatic façade’ they're delving further than the classical images of the flamenco dancer.

A revered singer, two rising stars and a former principal dancer come together to present the Flamenco Festival’s opening show: Tempo of Light. Traditional flamenco singer Carmen Linares performs with Arcángel, Marina Heredia and former principal dancer of Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía Ana Morales to portray the passion that underpins this time-honoured art form, from its gypsy roots through to its modern innovations.

Considered a genius of his generation, Israel Galván returns to Sadler’s Wells on Tuesday 20 February in collaboration with Isabel Bayón Compañía. In Dju-Dju, classical dancer Isabel Bayón reinvents herself, exploring the demons and superstitions of the flamenco world, alongside dancers Alicia Márquez and Nieves Casablanca, directed by Galván.

Legendary flamenco artist La Chana makes a rare appearance at this year’s Gala Flamenca, running from Wednesday 21 - Friday 23 February. Her amazing story is testament to the strength and passion of this art form, providing hope and encouragement to young women globally. Four champions of flamenco puro, Ángel Rojas, Antonio Canales, El Farru, Gema Moneo, come together to celebrate her inspiring story of survival and empowerment.

For the penultimate show on Saturday 24 February, Jesús Carmona and his dance company pioneer a flamenco evolution. With flawless footwork and ballet-infused moves, Ímpetus is an irresistible interpretation of famous scores from some of Spain’s most beloved composers.

Closing this year’s festival, on Sunday 25 February, Compañía Rafaela Carrasco presents Born a Shadow. Inspired by the hidden voices of Teresa de Jesus, María de Zayas, María Calderón and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the show weaves flamenco rhythms and spoken word to break their silence and uncover the secrets of the Spanish Golden Age.

]]>Spain,London,Festival,Flamenco,Dance,Theatre,UK,Culture,Arts,Art,Performance,SadlersWellsWed, 31 Jan 2018 17:17:00 +0100Calling All Creatives – Design Festival Comes to Madridhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/calling-all-creatives--design-festival-comes-to-madrid/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/calling-all-creatives--design-festival-comes-to-madrid/The first edition ofMadrid Design Festivalcomes to the capital city of Madrid in February with a wide array of activities, exhibitions and workshops taking place throughout the city.
]]>February 14, 15 and 16 will see key figures in national and international design come together at the Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid – Madrid’s Official School of Architecture (COAM). Showcasing current work and looking back at classics, as well as trying to resolve current challenges in design, Madrid Design Festival is an exhibition of creative work and a way in which designers and those interested in design can attempt to come up with initiatives to make economic and social transitions easier. This will be approached in many forms: conferences, masterclasses, practical workshops as well as portfolio viewings, meetings and the development of new design projects.

The exhibitions will outline the history of design and commemorate some of the world’s most iconic artist-designers, for example a retrospective of Madrid-born artist-designer Jaime Hayón, respected worldwide for his furniture designs, art installations, interiors and even wrist watches; The Alfaro Hofman Collection which looks at the evolution of design and technology of 20th century household objects, and a ‘Vinyl Graphics’ exhibition will take a look at iconic album covers.

Heralded as a creative and design hub since the 1950’s, Helsinki is chosen as the Guest City during the festival. Finland will bring the very best of its design industry to Madrid, with an urban installation of a typical Finnish sauna, known worldwide for its many benefits for the health and mind, on the terrace of OnlyYou Hotel Atocha, and open to the public.

With activities covering many branches of design including graphic, architecture, gastronomy, society and technology among others, the Madrid Design Festival hopes to achieve its objective of ‘Redesigning the world’ this February 2018.

]]>Spain,Tourist,Madrid,Festival,Design,COAM,Architecture,Workshops,gastronomy,graphic design,society,technologyThu, 25 Jan 2018 18:19:00 +0100Beat the January blues with an active holiday in Spainhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/beat-the-january-blues-with-an-active-holiday-in-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/beat-the-january-blues-with-an-active-holiday-in-spain/After the Christmas rush is over, many are left wondering what to do with themselves. With the guilt of over-indulgence still looming and New Year’s resolutions fully in play, regardless of where you choose to go in Spain, combatting the January blues is best done by staying active and eating well.

Surf your way along the Costa Verde

The long and varied coastline in the north of Spain means that on one of the many picturesque beaches you are guaranteed to find waves. There are always a few safe bets, Mundaka in The Basque Country, for example, is renowned worldwide for its huge barrelling left wave. Dotted along the whole coastline are surfer havens: Playa de Vega, Xagó and Rodiles in Asturias are well known for not only great waves, but also their beautiful, mountainous backdrops.

This time of year the swell is bigger, better, stronger and more consistent, and needless to say the water is a lot less crowded. It is a little fresh, but it’s nothing that can’t be tackled with a wetsuit. After a day’s surf, make sure to enjoy the delicious, fresh seafood that each of these coastal regions has to offer.

Bike around La Palma

The terrain of the lesser known Canary Island of La Palma, is a paradise for avid mountain bikers in search of unique and exhilarating trails. The landscapes on the smallest island in the Canarian archipelago range from dense pine and Laurel forests, volcanic mountainsides and unspoiled coastlines, scattered with a variety of trails for beginners and more experienced bikers.

La Palma is home to the Caldera de Taburiente, a massive volcanic crater surrounded by cloud-covered mountainous peaks, which boasts the world’s longest single trail, leading cyclists down to the sea. This time of year, the sky is still blue and temperatures average around 18 degrees…perfect for cycling. A hearty rabbit stew or one of the many seafood options typical of the Canary Islands are the ideal finish to a day on the trails.

Ski in Sierra Nevada

The season is fully in swing, and the snowy mountain resort of Sierra Nevada in Andalucía is gearing up for another white winter. Just 27km from Granada means you can explore the mountains by day, and head back to the city in the evening and take advantage of the tapas. The resort boasts 115 runs and is Europe’s sunniest ski resort, with 80% of days being sun-filled, meaning you can get that all-important Vitamin D, certain to boost your mood mid-winter whilst covering over 100km of pistes.

There’s a wide variety of cuisines available within the resort to refuel after a long day on the slopes, or you’re just a bus ride away from Granada if you fancy trying the local Andalucían cuisine or a trip to the breath-taking Alhambra palace. Also spa treatments are available within the resort for a treat to ensure fully recharging in the New Year.

]]>Spain,Tourist,food,Canary,Nevada,Basque country,Ski,Sierra,Asturias,LaPalmaWed, 10 Jan 2018 14:29:15 +0100Christmas continues in Spain with El Dia de los Reyeshttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-celebrates-el-dia-de-los-reyes/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-celebrates-el-dia-de-los-reyes/Whilst children in the UK have another year to wait for the arrival of Father Christmas, Spanish children are eagerly awaiting the arrival of "los Reyes", or Three Kings, this weekend.

Known as the day of the epiphany, 6 January is a biblical celebration of when the Three Kings reached the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, and in Spain children wake up to presents which have been delivered magically overnight. The story is re-enacted on the night of 5 January each year, when the "cabalgata" (procession) of the Three Kings marches through cities and towns across the country. Thousands of people line the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the procession, which also includes dancers, musicians and puppeteers. The Three Kings ride on horseback, camels or on theatrical floats throwing goodies to the children in the streets. The procession is the longest standing parade in Spain and dates back to 1885.

Similarly to sherry and carrots, which are left out for Father Christmas and his reindeer, children in Spain often leave out sweets for the kings and something for their camels. The morning brings delight in the discovery that their generosity has been rewarded with presents.

6 January is a national holiday in Spain, where families get together to eat and enjoy traditional Roscón de Reyes, a sweet donut-shaped cake decorated with cherries and sometimes filled with cream. The New Year detox will have to wait until 7 January!

]]>three,kings,spain,christmas,reyes,dia,de,los,reyesThu, 28 Dec 2017 09:00:00 +0100Christmas in Spainhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/christmas-in-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/christmas-in-spain/A selection of photographs showcasing the Christmas spirit spreading through Spain's cities.
]]>Spain,Tourist,Office,Madrid,Christmas,Malaga,Barcelona,Seville,Salamanca,Las Palmas,ValladolidThu, 21 Dec 2017 12:09:56 +0100The hottest spots for a cool New Year’s Eve in Spainhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-hottest-places-for-a-cool-new-years-eve-in-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-hottest-places-for-a-cool-new-years-eve-in-spain/New Year’s Eve, orNochevieja, is the ideal time to enjoy a truly hedonistic fiesta in Spain. From the big cities to the little towns, there’s fun to be had across the country. For tourists who are visiting, one thing to be aware of is that many Spaniards spend midnight with their families and the bars and clubs don’t open until 12.30 or 1am – so don’t be alarmed if you find things are closed earlier in the evening. Also make sure you don’t attempt New Year’s Eve in Spain unless you are armed with 12 grapes – the tradition is to swallow one grape on each stroke of the clock at midnight for luck, but be warned, it’s harder than you may think! Look out for special New Year’s Eve packs that contain 12 grapes already peeled and de-seeded. Read more about the lucky grape tradition here.

Madrid

If not at home with family or friends, Madrileños congregate in and around Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol for midnight. The streets are packed and the atmosphere is fun and upbeat, so wrap up warm and be prepared to join the crowds. The ideal is to settle somewhere you can get a view of the clock at the top of the Real Casa de Correos, from where the New Year is officially ushered in. Those who don’t actually make it to Sol tend to spend midnight gathered around a TV watching this landmark clock strike midnight, so it’s a really iconic place to spend the 31st.

Barcelona

The place to head in Barcelona is the Plaça Catalunya. Revellers wear red underwear for luck in the coming year and eat their grapes as the clock strikes midnight. During the day, look out for L’Home dels Nassos who walks the streets and throws sweets to the children. The idea is that the man has as many noses as there are days left in the year, but luckily for him, it's the 31st December so he only has one!

Pamplona

For something a bit different, Pamplona is the place for a NYE to remember. The city celebrates its very own carnival on 31st December, with all residents donning Halloween-style costumes and hitting the streets. The old town sees plenty of action, while Iturrama and San Juan districts are also buzzing with life and well worth exploring.

Seville

The place to be is the Plaza Nueva in Seville, where partygoers celebrate until midnight before dispersing to different parties to dance the night away. This makes a nice choice for an alternative New Year party as the skies are normally blue and, while the atmosphere is great, it's not too busy.

Valencia

In Valencia the crowds gather with their grapes in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento for a magnificent fireworks display at midnight. Carrer de Cavellers and the area around the square are the ideal places to explore for a few drinks after midnight.

Ibiza

Ibiza is the perfect New Year’s Eve destination for clubbers and those looking for a bit of peace and quiet. For those looking to party the night away, Pacha's legendary NYE party is a real highlight each winter season and the club will open its doors on 31 December from 1am. If the clubbing scene doesn't appeal, Ibiza's old town provides a charming backdrop for enjoying a delicious traditional meal with family and friends to see in the New Year together.

]]>Spain,New,Year&#039;s,Eve,Madrid,Barcelona,Valencia,Ibiza,SevilleThu, 07 Dec 2017 11:51:00 +0100A Spanish Christmas http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/a-spanish-christmas/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/a-spanish-christmas/This Friday 8th December, Spain celebrates the Day of The Immaculate Conception, a national holiday which unofficially marks the start of the Christmas season. Christmas in Spain is full of tradition. Here are four of the best: El Gordo – Meaning ‘The Fat One’, El Gordo is the Christmas Lottery and a fundamental part of the Christmas build-up in Spain. Pretty much everyone in Spain buys a ticket for El Gordo and families and friends gather around the television on 22nd December to see if they have won. You can literally feel the excitement in the air for Europe’s biggest lottery.

Nochebuena – Christmas Eve in Spanish is Nochebuena, a time for families to come together to enjoy the most elaborate meal of the Christmas period. The basic rule of thumb is to eat ‘well’ and the meal will start late (around 10pm) and often run on until well after midnight. Although some Spaniards enjoy ‘pavo trufado de Navidad’ (Christmas Turkey stuffed with mushroom truffles), seafood and roasts such as lamb or suckling pig are also popular. The meal will have a number of courses starting with tapas or appetisers and will often include an abundance of Spanish meats, cheeses and pâtés. Dessert will almost always include turrón, a sweet nougat of Moorish origins made of toasted almonds and washed down with strong coffee or a small glass of Spanish brandy.

Although Father Christmas does pay a visit, he will probably leave one gift as the main presents are brought by the three kings on 6th January.

NocheVieja – News Year’s Eve in Spain is called NocheVieja and again families will often join together to enjoy another big feast. The cities and towns are decked with colour and Christmas decorations, creating a magical atmosphere. At midnight, families and friends will head to the streets to take part in the tradition of eating 12 grapes, one on each of the 12 chimes as the clock strikes midnight. Legion has it that a year of good luck and prosperity will be granted to those who manage to eat all the grapes before the last chime.

One of the most atmospheric places to enjoy New Year’s Eve is the Puerta del Sol plaza in Madrid. Thousands of people gather here to watch the clock strike midnight and the head to the many bars and nightclubs to celebrate the New Year into the early hours of the morning.

Los Reyes Magos – On 6th January, Spain celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany when the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem. For Spanish children this is the most exciting day of the year when they wake up to find that Los Reyes Magos (the Three Kings/Wise Men) have left gifts for them. The Three Kings parade through the streets of cities, towns and villages handing out sweets and small gifts to children, accompanied by colourful floats and music. Alcoi in Alicante holds one of the most impressive parades and is known as the oldest in Spain.

]]>Travel,Christmas,Spain,Spanish,Tourist,Office,El,Gordo,Nochebuena,NocheVieja,Los,Reyes,MagosWed, 29 Nov 2017 14:48:00 +0100Best Spanish Short Breaks for 2017http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/best-spanish-short-breaks-for-2017/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/best-spanish-short-breaks-for-2017/With the second May bank holiday and spring half term nearly upon us, and with the slow or nonexistent start to spring here in the UK, many of us might be considering an escape to the sunshine…

Whether looking for a city break, family thrills, a foodie trip, a rural or active getaway, Spain has infinite options to suit all holiday desires and budgets.

No matter how many times you have visited Spain, there will always be something new to discover.

If you’re planning a short break this spring, or indeed anytime this year, be sure to consider some of these unique destinations, as recommended by the travel experts here at the Spanish Tourist Office.

Huelva, Andalucía

Head to the province of Huelva this spring to discover Spain’s ‘secret coast’. Combine relaxation on the pristine, empty, unspoilt beaches of the province, with the culture and exceptional cuisine of Huelva capital, where you’ll enjoy the freshest of fish and the finest Iberian ham in all of Spain!

This is the year to visit if you’re a foodie. As Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy for 2017, Huelva’s star foods include the exquisite Jamón Pata Negra (‘Black Foot’ cured ham) from the mountain town of Jabugo, white prawns and strawberries. On restaurant menus you’ll find fresh fish and seafood including clams, roasted sea bream, skate in paprika, barbecued sardines and cuttlefish.

Take advantage of your visit to Huelva by visiting its old quarter, historical monuments and churches, bustling port, stroll through the palm-lined Plaza de las Monjas, go shopping in the pedestrianised streets, or discover a wealth of wildlife and stunning landscapes (salt marshes, dunes, scrub and pine forest) of the nearby Doñana National Park.

For thrillseekers and families, look no further than one of Europe's biggest theme parks, Port Aventura, for an action-packed holiday to remember.

The newly opened Ferrari Land at Port Aventura contains more than 700,000 m2 of excitement, adrenaline and fun. This unique theme park is home to the highest and fastest rollercoaster in Europe, at a height of 112m and reaching a speed of 0-180km in five seconds. With day tickets from €59-€75, the park also offers a 500m race track, Formula One simulators and two ‘bounce back’ free fall towers.

Port Aventura’s adventure park also has themed areas including Mexico, Far West, Polynesia and China, where you’ll find live shows and attractions.

When you need to recharge your batteries, the resort offers numerous restaurants and snack bars, as well as excellent hotels, equipped with all kinds of amenities and services.

Logroño and La Rioja

Those who appreciate good wine will know that La Rioja holds endless promise for a short break destination focusing on the finer things… Internationally famous for its wines, La Rioja is home to more than 500 wineries and produces an average of 250 million litres of wine a year. The quality of the wines produced in this region means Rioja is in demand from all over the world.

A visit to its extensive vineyards offers an array of activities including wine tasting, horse riding, hot air ballooning and 4x4 route driving.

Conversely, La Rioja’s capital, Logroño, is relatively little known, but as an untouristy city and a tapas mecca, it is well worth a visit. The medieval old town with narrow streets is packed with tapas bars. The perfect location for a tapas crawl to soak up all that wine!

La Rioja also makes for the perfect walking and sightseeing holiday, thanks to its natural attractions, Mediterranean forests, mountainous areas and breathtaking landscapes.

For those looking for an active or religious break, the Camino Lebaniego, declared a World Heritage Site in 2015, is a pilgrimage walk like no other.

Dating back to the 7th Century, this ancient route in northern Spain takes you on a journey to visit the largest-surviving piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified – the Lignum Crucis – preserved in the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, overlooking the spectacular Picos de Europa National Park.

The route weaves its way inland from the sandy and dramatic Cantabrian coastline to the impressive Picos de Europa mountain range.

Cantabria will welcome thousands of pilgrims throughout 2017, looking to be granted the Jubilee (a plenary and universal indulgence bestowed by the Pope on these occasions).

Together with Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, and more recently, Caracava de la Cruz in Murcia, the Monastery of Santo Toribio is one of the only sites where perpetual indulgences can be gained.

]]>spain,summer,holidaysThu, 18 May 2017 17:05:34 +0200Spanish Tourist Office official sponsor of Traverse 17: Supporting the power of digitalhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spanish-tourist-office-official-sponsor-of-traverse-17/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spanish-tourist-office-official-sponsor-of-traverse-17/The Spanish Tourist Office has been announced as one of the official sponsors of Traverse 17, the largest global gathering of travel bloggers and digital influencers in the UK which will take place in London, for the first time, from 24 to 30 April this year.

With networking, classes, tours and experiences across the city, the event will culminate in a conference on 29 and 30 April at London’s award-winning Ravensbourne University, where influencers will join together for seminars, workshops, one on ones, panels and more.

The Spanish Tourist Office has long embraced bloggers and digital media and values their opinions, and will take the opportunity to announce, to over 400 bloggers attending the conference, the new global social media campaign to promote Spain to an audience that we define as cosmopolitan travellers. This campaign will showcase the great diversity of the Spanish urban, cultural, gastronomy and shopping tourism offer from an innovative point of view, in a way never shown before.

Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, Javier Piñanes, said: “We are very excited to be sponsoring Traverse 17 this year; hundreds of influencers with an interest in urban tourism and travel attend the conference each year, a perfect opportunity to showcase Spain tourism offer that appeals to all travellers”.

As the popularity of social media increases among users, so does the popularity of social media marketing among Spain as a tourism destinations by being hugely active on social media and working influencers in all areas of its marketing programmes.

Sponsorship of this event is evidence of Spain´s support of the digital arena whilst simultaneously working to increase visibility of the destination among key audiences through Traverse influencers and their followers.

The Spanish Tourist Office will be hosting the Traverse closing party on 30th April at Ibérica Canary Wharf. Located in Cabot Square, the restaurant and bar in Canary Wharf offers the ideal location for drinks and tapas, a quick lunch or relaxing over a Spanish meal at the weekend. With something for everyone, guests can choose between the buzzy ambience at its bar and lounge area or a quieter table on the mezzanines.

For almost a decade, Ibérica has made it its mission to bring an authentic Spanish dining experience to Brits across the UK and championed the ‘Terrace’ culture typical of every Spanish city.

]]>Traverse,SpainThu, 27 Apr 2017 18:22:42 +0200#SpaininMYheart: Is there a place in your heart for Spain? http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spaininmyheart-is-there-a-place-in-your-heart-for-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spaininmyheart-is-there-a-place-in-your-heart-for-spain/The Spanish Tourist Office has launched a new digital campaign entitled #SpaininMYheart, allowing fans of the destination to become digital ambassadors.

The Spanish Tourist Office has launched a new digital campaign entitled #SpaininMYheart, allowing fans of the destination to become digital ambassadors.

Throughout the month of April, the Spanish Tourist Office is offering the opportunity for anyone with a connection to Spain to win a Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II digital camera.

The Spanish are generally described as friendly, passionate, warm and welcoming… If you are a fan of the Spanish culture and way of life, be sure to share pictures of your holiday memories or experiences in Spain via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, tagging #SpaininMYheart. Every upload counts as one entry, so the more images you post, the better the chances of winning!

The competition will run from Monday 3-30 April the lucky winner will be announced via DM on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. For full Terms & Conditions, please visit here.

The Spanish Tourist Office and partners will also be hosting a Twitter Chat on the top destinations and experiences in Spain, so if you’re in need of holiday inspiration, make sure you follow @Spain_inUK & #SpaininMYheart and log in on April 6th at 3.30 pm to join the conversation and learn from the experts.

Spain is the top short-haul destination for Brits. The country is a safe and family-friendly destination with outstanding family resorts, experiences and attractions. The destination boasts a superb luxury offering as well as variety and quality for budget travellers.

]]>Spain,Spanish,Tourist,Travel,gastronomy,#spain,attraction,Balearic Islands,campaign,Canary Islands,Destination,Europe,holiday,holidaysFri, 31 Mar 2017 15:55:39 +0200New flight routes to Spain in 2017http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/new-flight-routes-to-spain-in-2017/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/new-flight-routes-to-spain-in-2017/As a record 75.3 million British tourists visited Spain last year, airlines are opening even more routes throughout 2017. These new flights will help further visits to the popular holiday cities as well as the more undiscovered areas throughout Spain:

EasyJet is launching a variety of flights from the UK, including flights to Murcia from Southend airport, as well as to Granada from Manchester in July. With Murcia being known as the Europe's orchard due to its fruit and flower production, and Granada’s beautiful medieval architecture, they both offer something new to the British traveller. EasyJet are also opening a new route to Menorca from Stanstead airport from June.

Iberia Express is joining other airlines by launching a new flight to the popular holiday destination of Madrid from Cardiff at the beginning of April, opening up the Spanish city to Welsh travellers.

Ryanair, the Irish low-fares airline, has launched its record Edinburgh summer schedule for 2017 to Barcelona, Ibiza, and Vigo. New routes to Valencia will also operate form Glasgow, with Scots also benefitting from increased services Glasgow to Malaga and Alicante. The newly launched Birmingham winter 2017 schedule includes a six-times-a-week service to Alicante, daily flights to Barcelona and five flights a day to Malaga, offering 99 weekly flights to Spain in total.

Jet2.com has announced new flights from Birmingham to 15 Spanish destinations during the summer, including Alicante, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Majorca, Malaga and Menorca. The first flights launch at the beginning of April to Malaga and Faro. The airline has also included new direct flights from London Stanstead to 21 destinations during the summer period, including Lanzarote, Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Menorca and Majorca.

Finnair is to add a new route to Alicante, as well as to Ibiza and Menorca for the summer 2017 season.

Flybe has announced their new summer flights from London Southend Airport to the Catalonian city of Reus, launching on May 10th. The new thrice-weekly flights open up a lesser known area of Spain to Brits looking to explore the Costa Dorada.

British Airways is to open seven new routes from Manchester airport for the summer holidays. Starting in May, the direct flights will include Alicante, Malaga, Ibiza and Palma.

With regular new flight routes opening up new and existing destinations throughout Spain, we look forward to welcoming even more British holidaymakers this year and showcasing everything Spain has to offer.

Calling all art lovers! This week the Spanish capital celebrates ARCOmadrid, the International Contemporary Art Fair at the IFEMA Exhibition Centre in Madrid. ARCOmadrid is the international meeting point for art enthusiasts between Europe and Latin America and the most visited art fair in the world.

Celebrating its 36th year, and with the participation of 200 galleries from 27 different countries, ARCOmadrid invites collectors, gallery owners, artists and professionals from around the world.

As well as the 200 participating galleries, critics and curators alike are joining for debates, workshops and sessions discussing topics including contemporary art collecting. As always, ARCOmadrid shows off its high proportion of international gallery participation, with 66.5% being foreign galleries, and within that Latin America being 40%. Continuing the tradition of inviting a guest country, this year invites Argentina to celebrate with the support of the Argentine Ministry for Culture.

Running in tandem with the art fair will be a city-wide programme of collection visits, museum exhibitions, and events celebrating art from the American continent. Highlights include the Isabel and Agustín Coppel collection, at the Fundación Banco Santander; the Hochschild collection, based in Lima, at Sala Alcalá 31, and the Costantini Collection, at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.

]]>Madrid,Festival,Spain,art,arcomadridMon, 20 Feb 2017 12:53:38 +0100SPAIN, A COUNTRY BRIEFING AT WTM 2015http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-a-country-briefing-at-wtm-2015/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-a-country-briefing-at-wtm-2015/Enrique Ruiz de Lera, director of the Spanish Tourist Office, Simon Calder, senior travel editor at The Independent, and Mark Tanzer, executive director of ABTA, discuss some of the many issues the travel industry currently faces.

Key topics discussed include the volume of visitors to Spain vs their contribution to the economy, transforming Spain’s tourism appeal away from sunshine and beaches, plans to transform Magaluf into a desirable destination and how unrest elsewhere in the world affects tourism in Spain.

]]>World Travel Market,WTM,Spain,Sharing Economy,Economy,Tourism Tax,Magaluf,Tourism,Holiday,Sun,Beach,Sand,ValueWed, 18 Nov 2015 12:53:35 +0100SPANISH TOURISM BOARD LAUNCHES “SPAIN IN DETAIL” CAMPAIGNhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spanish-tourism-board-launches-spain-in-detail-campaign/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spanish-tourism-board-launches-spain-in-detail-campaign/DISCOVER SPAIN THROUGH DETAILS AND WIN A TRIP TO SPAIN The Spanish Tourism Board (Turespaña) has today announced the launch of a new global social media campaign "Spain in detail", a competition that showcases the best of Spain, from the most iconic to the most hidden corners in a totally different way.

This campaign will showcase the great diversity of the Spanish tourism offer from an innovative point of view, in a way never shown before.

Enter into a hypnotic journey to discover the richness and quality of the most important corners of Spain to become a real expert in detail, and what’s more, you will have chance to win a holiday to Spain to explore the beautiful scenery, mouth-watering food and friendly people, we will make sure that your holiday is long remembered and quickly missed!

Twelve of the most charming destinations of Spain will be featured, and it will be your call to find all the smallest details. All the participants can showcase their knowledge about a destination by just seeing a small detail, but wait; don’t delay your response, the fastest wins more points!

From the 15th of June to the 17th of July enter our competition and earn points to win trips to Spain or other fantastic prizes.

Be the fastest to identify the location; follow us to find out all the intriguing details from Spain and share all the details about the competition with your friends.

]]>Spain,competition,detail,win,prizeTue, 16 Jun 2015 13:40:00 +0200MENORCA LAUNCHES UK MARKETING CAMPAIGN #MUSTSEEMENORCAhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/menorca-launches-uk-marketing-campaign-mustseemenorca/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/menorca-launches-uk-marketing-campaign-mustseemenorca/The Menorca tourism board, with the support of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, will launch a marketing campaign in the UK.

The UK market, a priority for the island, is part of a new marketing strategy chosen to reinforce the image of Menorca and encourage visitors all-year round.

The campaign will run across a variety of on and off line media platforms to target Britons interested in Menorca´s tourist offer, such as culture, wellness, gastronomy or outdoor activities, amongst others.

To grab the attention and focus on customer retention, the print campaign will include a series of advertorials in the printed and online versions of a national newspaper (The Independent), and in the digital version of the Evening Standard, the most read paper in London and South East England. In addition, Menorca will be featured in specialised magazines such as Adventure Travel and Cyclist as a way to promote Menorca’s resources and infrastructure to cater for activity holidays.

The main focus however, will be on social media. The challenge is to convey an important message to a fragmented audience minimising costs. The way to achieve this is by generating own content or selected one from third parties that is relevant, memorable and preferably viral; a communication strategy based on low volume (segmentation) and high impact (memorability), rather than the traditional high volume, low impact (publicity).

The Spanish Tourist Office in London has designed a specific digital strategy for UK following Turespaña’s digital plan. It consists in a dedicated social hashtag #MustSeeMenorca created to generate interest and engagement, and to increase the visibility and aspirationality of Menorca as a destination to visit.

Furthermore, the Spanish Tourist Office in London will reinforce the promotion of the campaign increasing awareness through their own channels, including the Social News Hub (with over 154,654 visits), Facebook Spain.info (with more than 1,569,833 fans worldwide, from which over 200,000 are from the UK) @Spain_inUK twitter profile (23,500 followers) & @Spain (160,000 followers) and Instagram @Spain ( with 31,100 followers).

The impact of the social media campaign is estimated to exceed 15 million impressions, with over one million users reach.

]]>Menorca,Balearics,SpainThu, 16 Apr 2015 17:39:18 +0200EL CAMINITO DEL REY PATH, 'WORLD'S SCARIEST WALKWAY' TO BE OPENED ON MARCH 28TH http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/el-caminito-del-rey-path-worlds-scariest-walkway-to-be-opened-on-march-28th/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/el-caminito-del-rey-path-worlds-scariest-walkway-to-be-opened-on-march-28th/One of the most vertiginous paths of the world, the King’s Pathway, at more than 3km long, over 100m high and never more than a metre wide, will be open to the public on March 28.

Located between the towns of Antequera and Ardales, 40 miles northwest of Málaga, this chilling trail through Los Gaitanejos gorge chiseled by the Guadalhorce River, will be able to hold 600 people a day.

Fifty people will access the path every half an hour, with a maximum of 400 people on the boardwalks at the same time.

Following a €2.5m renovation, the Caminito del Rey has an overall length of 4,350m and can be accessed through 2 booths. Of these, 1,600m are aerial walkways that cross two gorges, and the rest are trails and roads, part of an old railway track into the cliff.

The construction of the walkway began in 1901 and was finished in 1905. Its original purpose was to provide a short cut for workers between two hydroelectric power plants at waterfalls along the route and as a means of transporting supplies and equipment.

The King’s Pathway acquired its name in 1921 when King Alfonso XIII walked the length of the Caminito for the inauguration of a dam at the site.

Here's a couple of videos where you can see the before and after of the refurbishment.

]]>Malaga,Andalucia,Costa del Sol,Caminito del Rey,SpainMon, 16 Mar 2015 15:15:00 +0100CÁCERES IS THE GASTRONOMIC SPANISH CAPITAL FOR 2015http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/caceres-is-the-gastronomic-spanish-capital-for-2015/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/caceres-is-the-gastronomic-spanish-capital-for-2015/Following the successful years by Logroño in 2012, Burgos 2013 and Vitoría-Gasteiz last year the baton has been passed to Cáceres in Extremadura, as holder of the status as Spanish Gastronomic Capital.

People who have visited Extremadura have surely already discovered the excellent delicacies the region produces, from some of the World’s finest Ibérico hams, award winning cheeses, to wines, paprika, honey, olive oil, and even cherries. Those who haven’t been to the area, especially foodies, this is the perfect opportunity.

Many travelers put food and wine as one of the main motivations behind a holiday, and this year Caceres has produced a full program of events covering many aspects of the local gastronomy. Besides being located on the fantastic ‘Ruta de la Plata’ (the Silver way), the old Roman route from Gijón to Seville, there are a number of routes within Extremadura with a gastronomic theme, such as the Jamón Ibérico Dehesa de Extremadura route, with ham carving workshops and even a chance to see the Iberian pigs in their natural habitat. You could also visit cheese makers, and see the process of producing the famous ‘Torta del Casar’. A Denomination of Origin covering towns in the Llanos de Cáceres, Sierra de las Fuentes and Montánchez district. A spreadable cheese which uses the common thistle to turn the sheep’s milk into cheese, the pistils of which curdle and set the raw milk.

The whole of the Jerte valley comes to life as the cherry trees’ bloom and the area is a hive of activity when harvest time comes, quickly followed by the fiestas in honour of this crimson fruit. If the Jerte Valley is synonymous with cherries, the ‘Vera’ county, Where Emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany spent his final days, is synonymous with the basis of many a Spanish dish, the red, flavoursome gold dust which is paprika.

A common denominator with all the previous capitals, and this year is no exception, is the wine, and Extremadura has many fine wineries. You will be able to see the grapes, the barrels the bottles, and of course sample the finished product. ¡Salúd!

From show cooking, tapas trails, famous chefs, food markets, fairs, festivals, and plenty of chances to taste the local cuisine. In 2015, if you love food and wine, you’ll love Cáceres.

]]>caceres,spanish gastronomic capital,2015 gastronomic capital,extremadura,spain gastronomy,Jamon Iberico,Torta del Casar,Cheese,Pimenton,Paprika,Jerte,Valle,Vera,vino,tapasThu, 05 Mar 2015 10:37:00 +0100BRITISH AIRWAYS LAUNCHES NEW SEVILLE FLIGHT FROM GATWICKhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/british-airways-launches-new-seville-flight-from-gatwick/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/british-airways-launches-new-seville-flight-from-gatwick/British Airways direct services to Seville from London Gatwick start this Thursday 26 February 2015. From 26 February 2015, British Airways will fly five times a week to Seville, Spain from London GatwickSeville represents the authentic characteristics of Andalucía, with its famous cathedral, vast range of tapas bars and romantic medieval lanes and secret plazas. Witness the city's signature flamenco dancing in bars filled with statement Spanish music, creating a spirited and lively atmosphere.

The streets and squares in the historic quarter of Seville are lively and busy, and they should be, the new flight coincides with the “IV Gastronomic season of the Seville orange”, a gastronomic experience route with over 27 Seville restaurants with show-cooking and recipes based on the #NaranjadeSevilla.

If you would like to discover the essence of this unique, romantic and atmospheric Andalusian city “Seville, the Arts, Culture, Gastronomic and Music city for the discerning traveler” will be hosting a Private Concert at the Cathedral Hall, Seville’s Holy Week Music on Thursday 12th March at 19.30 pm RSVP: press.london@tourspain.es

Did you know...

Curiosities about the Seville orange

Its name in Indian is Naranyan, which means "perfume inside" (Source: The Guardian)

In Seville over oranges 25,000 decorate the city centre

Its flower, orange blossom, has many healing qualities.

With the Seville orange some products like gin (with rind), oils, sweets and sparkling wine, chocolates and other baked goods are made.

It is a very popular ingredient in the UK cuisines, joining many dishes as a sauce or condiment.

]]>spain gastronomy,Seville,Naranja,Seville oranges,new route,BA,British Airways,Semana Santa,Easter,Gatwick,Airport,FlightsWed, 25 Feb 2015 12:37:00 +0100NEW MEASURES AGAINST ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN MAGALUF HAVE BEEN AGREED BY THE BALEARIC ISLANDS GOVERNMENT, CALVIA COUNCIL AND HOTELIERShttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/new-measures-against-antisocial-behaviour-in-magaluf-have-been-agreed-by-the-balearic-islands-government-calvia-council-and-hoteliers/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/new-measures-against-antisocial-behaviour-in-magaluf-have-been-agreed-by-the-balearic-islands-government-calvia-council-and-hoteliers/Among the measures implemented are new regulations banning antisocial behaviour, the introduction of combined international police patrols, which will include agents of the British police, and a new administrative status for Magaluf as mature tourist destination.
]]>The incidents that took place last summer in Magaluf have highlighted the difficulties that this area of Calvià faces due to antisocial behaviour. These incidents have a negative effect on Magaluf’s image, which in turn impacts on Mallorca’s reputation and the image of the Balearic Islands as a tourist destination.

The Balearic Government and all the regional authorities and associations involved have agreed unanimously that neither the practices undertaken by some businesses nor the antisocial behaviour of a small number of tourists will be tolerated. For this reason a number of measures have been put in place to improve the current situation, raise standards and develop mature areas.

These measures aim to ease antisocial behaviour in Punta Ballena and will consist of increasing the number of inspection visits, developing a new “best practices” code for businesses located in tourist areas, and establishing a protocol of action as well as the creation of a legal framework to sanction specific behaviours.

In particular the following measures will be adopted:

A new social regulation bylaw will be passed by the council forbidding the consumption of alcohol in the streets and other antisocial behaviour. This may include a ban on pub crawls.

Police patrolling, inspections and administrative sanctions will be increased:

Public safety will be improved with the increased presence of the Spanish Civil Guard

International combined police patrols, which will include British agents, will be increased

Coordinated inspection campaigns with other administrative bodies

Reinforcement of the tourist information service’s duties

3. Magaluf will be granted a new administrative status as a mature tourist area. As a consequence:

All tourist accommodation will be given six months to present a modernisation plan to adapt hotels and apartments to the new hotel rating specifications.

All tourism businesses will be obliged to develop modernisation and quality plans

4. The Magaluf area renovation plans will be boosted by new investment:

So far, over 100 million euros have been invested in the renovation and upgrade of several hotels in Magaluf. A further 200 million euros will be invested

Works to pedestrianize the boulevard that connects the beachfront streets have been approved and will be completed before the next tourist season

These measures have the strong support of the Spanish Government through the Tourism Secretary of State. The Spanish Tourist Office in London will coordinate the communication of these measures to British tourist associations, tour operators and media.

The UK Foreign Office has also backed all these initiatives through Gillian Brion, British vice consul for the Balearic Islands.

]]>magaluf,laws,spanish legal,mallorca,antisocial behaviour spainFri, 19 Dec 2014 15:37:55 +0100NORWEGIAN AIR LAUNCHES NEW MALAGA, MADRID AND BARCELONA FLIGHTS FROM BIRMINGHAM AND EDINBURGHhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/norwegian-air-launches-new-malaga-madrid-and-barcelona-flights-from-birmingham-and-edinburgh/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/norwegian-air-launches-new-malaga-madrid-and-barcelona-flights-from-birmingham-and-edinburgh/Norwegian Air has announced some brand new routes to Spain with departure services from Edinburgh and Birmingham, set to launch in Spring 2015.

From 30th March Norwegian Air will launch a new route between Birmingham and Malaga, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The very next day, 31st March, will see two new services launched. This first is a twice weekly service from Edinburgh to Malaga departing on Tuesdays and Saturdays and the second is a new flight service from Birmingham to Madrid with three weekly departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

On 1st June, Norwegian Air will also launch a twice weekly Birmingham to Barcelona service, departing on Mondays and Fridays.

It is predicted that these new flights will be popular among both business and leisure travellers. Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga are all vibrant cities in their own right, as well as ideal jumping off points for exploring nearby cultural attractions and beaches or mountain ranges.

The new flights are available to book now and prices start from £39 one way, inclusive of all taxes.

]]>new flights,2015,Norwegian Air,Barcelona,Malaga,Madrid,Birmingham,Edinburgh,spainWed, 17 Dec 2014 11:51:07 +0100WHAT'S NEW IN SPAIN FOR 2015http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/whats-new-in-spain-for-2015/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/whats-new-in-spain-for-2015/Spain continues to be Britain’s favourite tourist destination and 2014 has been no exception. Over the coming year the destination is set to continue to expand and evolve, with new cultural hotspots and trails, exciting hotel launches and flight routes, and a host of original festivals and events.

HOTEL NEWS

Ayre Hotel Group to launch Madrid Atocha property

Palladium Hotel Group is expanding in Madrid with a new property under its urban brand, Ayre Hoteles, scheduled to open at the end of 2015. The new four-star 215-room hotel will be a conversion of a building that faces Atocha station, one of the city’s major transportation hubs. At just a few metres from Madrid’s main station and within walking distance of the best city attractions, its strategic location will be ideal for visitors arriving by train, who can then explore the city on foot. www.ayrehoteles.com

New hotels to open in Valencia to suit all budgets

Valencia-based Ad Hoc hotel group is also opening a third hotel in the city, which will be named the Ad Hoc Carmen and is due to open at the end of 2014. The property is set to offer excellent value for the family and group travel markets. www.adhochoteles.com

New luxury hotel to open in Palma de Mallorca

Scheduled to open in March 2015, Hotel Sant Francesc is an exciting conversion of an old manor house into a luxury boutique hotel in the historic centre of Palma de Mallorca. The 43-room chic urban bolthole, which will form part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™, sets out to retain the beauty of the former building and blends graceful simplicity with a distinctly Spanish style. Its five-star facilities comprise a rooftop terrace with a pool, patio bar, garden restaurant, gym and spa. www.slh.com

URSO Hotel & Spa in Madrid launches “The Table By…”

This pop-up restaurant of sorts is an entirely unique concept on Madrid’s dining scene and complements the innovative and newly opened URSO Hotel & Spa perfectly. “The Table By…” will see a rotating schedule of six well-established and up and coming young Spanish chefs from different corners of the country take up temporary residency in the hotel restaurant to re-create their own restaurants in the heart of Madrid. As each restaurant arrives, everything will change – the design, the concept and the menu. www.thetableby.es

The Grand Palladium White Island Resort & Spa will open in spring 2015 under Palladium Hotel Group’s five-star portfolio. The new hotel will be a transformation of the former Fiesta Club Palm Beach into a 430-room luxury hotel, boasting ultra-modern décor and a Mediterranean design. When combined with neighbouring Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort & Spa, the two hotels will create a new complex, the largest in Ibiza. www.palladiumhotelgroup.com

CAMPAIGN NEWS

Andalucía launches new marketing campaign

The Andalucía tourist board has launched an exciting new brand campaign. Under the strapline “Your better you”, the popular Spanish region strives to refresh and reinvigorate its image by consolidating the emotional and experiential facets of the destination. The campaign highlights Andalucia’s key points of difference, focusing on the following themes; emotion, fun, spontaneity and optimism. The campaign comprises a film aimed at both national and international tourists, as well as an aggressive print, outdoor, broadcast and digital advertising strategy. www.andalucia.org.

CULTURE NEWS

Pompidou Centre to open in Malaga

The first ever “Pop up Pompidou” will open its doors in the city of Malaga in spring 2015. The new Pompidou Centre will be the first international branch of the French museum of the same name and is scheduled to stay for five years in the Cubo building, a cultural centre built on the city’s harbour. The Malaga Pompidou Centre will comprise over 6,000 square metres of exhibition space housing both permanent and temporary exhibitions including works by Picasso, Tàpies, Ernst, Attia, Bacon, Magritte and Frida Kahlo. www.malagaturismo.com

Extremadura launches the “jamón trail”

Gourmands look out – this could be the itinerary for you! Inspired by the popularity of Spain’s very special ham, the Extremadura Tourist Board has launched a new touristic route that allows foodies to indulge in the best of the region’s ham. Uniting the Sierras de Badajoz and the region of Montánchez-Tamuja in Cáceres, the “Dehesa de Extremadura” gives tourists access to the key jamón producers in the region, and in addition to many different tastings, they will learn how the jamón is produced, visit the drying cellars, learn how to cut ham like a pro and see how the production of this ever-important ingredient is valued in the local ecosystems. Along the way, visitors will stay in charming towns, go walking, horse riding and cycling among the grasslands and slow down to the leisurely Extremeño pace of life. www.dehesa-extremadura.com/index.php/en/

El Hierro declared UNESCO Geopark

The Canary Island of El Hierro has been declared a Geopark by UNESCO following a successful application by Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism in collaboration with the local council, making it the 60th member of the European Geoparks Network. UNESCO granted the title thanks to the island’s Biosphere Reserve and six protected natural areas that cover 60% of its land mass, including the Integrated Marine Reserve – Mar de las Calmas. www.geoparqueelhierro.es

Irrisarri Land, a new concept of rural tourism in Navarra

Irrisarri Land, which opened its doors this year, is home to the longest zip line in Spain, a pendulum swing and a 140 metre-long rope bride, as well as a bike park, adventure routes, downhill tracks and even a heliport for those who wish to take to the skies and get a real bird’s eye view of the region. A truly sustainable destination, the park has been designed with the utmost sensitivity for the local area and has been built using only local materials, such as wood, iron and stone. This is the perfect location for a fun-filled family weekend in Northern Spain. http://www.irrisarriland.com/

Culture on the Basque Coast

As well as exploring the beautiful towns and indulging in the excellent food for which it is famous for, a trip along the Basque Coast can also incorporate masses of art and culture thanks to a new network of museums that are facilitating travel for art lovers in the region. This unique network comprises a total of 40 cultural establishments from Bilbao and its surrounds in the west along to Irun in the east. The trail visits iconic cities such as San Sebastián, as well as taking in charming fishing villages such as Lekeitio, Bermeo and Bakio, and historic landmarks such as the town of Gernika. Along the way visitors can delve into art galleries, cultural museums, bird centres and aquariums, and really gain an understanding of what makes this captivating coastline what it is today. www.losmuseosdelacostavasca.com

TRANSPORT NEWS

British Airways launches new flights to Bilbao from spring 2015

British Airways has announced the launch of a brand new double daily service between London Heathrow and the vibrant city of Bilbao. The route launches on 29 March 2015 and will depart twice daily at 9.20am and 16.05pm, returning at 13.05pm and 19.40pm. www.ba.com

Monarch Airlines announces new flights to Alicante for summer 2015

Monarch Airlines has announced the launch of a new route from Leeds Bradford Airport to Alicante for summer 2015. The new route forms part of the airline’s summer schedule which features flights to ten different sun and city destinations across Europe and 28 frequencies per week. Alicante was one of just two new destinations for the airline to add for summer 2015. www.monarch.co.uk

Murcia launches Tourist Bus

The city of Murcia has just launched its first ever tourist bus that takes visitors round the highlights of the old town and the El Carmen and San Andres neighbourhood. The bus follows a 45 minute, 8km route through the city with an audio guide picking out the key sights and historical landmarks available in 10 different languages. The bus has six different stops; Murcia Town Hall, the Salzillo Museum, shopping district, Floridablanca gardens, La Merced and Gran Via-Alfonso X. Tickets are hop-on, hop-off and are valid for 24 hours. The city estimates taking 20,000 tourists on the bus in its first year. www.turismodemurcia.es

Discover Spain for less with RENFE’s Spain Pass

Spain’s pioneering rail network counts the UK as its most important international market, accounting for 17% of ticket sales. Foreign visitors planning to visit Spain can take advantage of the RenfeSpain Pass - a product only available for foreign residents that allows travellers to take between four and 12 trips on High Speed Long Distance trains for an extremely competitive price. The pass also includes lots of added value, such as discounts on entry to museums and tourist cards. www.renfe.com

British Airways launches new flights to Fuerteventura for winter 2014

British Airways has launched a new short-haul route which will run from London Gatwick to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. Flights are now on sale for the new route, which commences on 13 December as part of their winter 2014 programme. The twice-weekly service will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays and allow tourists to visit the second biggest Canary Island direct from London Gatwick. www.ba.com

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

The Canary Islands hosts pop-up London art exhibition

A unique way of illustrating the diverse beauty of the Canary Islands, ‘On the draw, an illustrated journey to the Canary Islands’ is a six night pop-up art exhibition, taking place in Canvas Studios in Shoreditch. Featuring art work from seven well-known illustrators from across the globe, each piece represents the distinct personal views and landscapes of the Canary Islands documented during the artists’ respective one week stays on the islands. The exhibition opens on 3 November until 9 November. http://www.onthedraw.travel/

Tenerife launches its first walking festival

Tenerife’s highly anticipated Walking Festival will take place from 10-15 March 2015 and aims to showcase the Canary Island’s varied landscape and spring-like year-round temperature (an average of 23ºC), all of which make it the perfect place for hiking. Visitors can traverse over 1,500 km of paths on walks suitable for all ages and levels. The four-day event, which takes place in the north of the island in Puerto de la Cruz, is open to everyone and participants are required to pay a €20 joining fee to access a welcome pack, daily transport to each trail, a wristband that gives discounts in local shops, restaurants and museums and free nightly entertainment. www.tenerifewalkingfestival.com

Bilbao to host first UCLG summit in 2015

The UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments) has chosen Bilbao as the host city of the first ever UCLG Culture Summit in 2015, in which over 250 leaders and international culture experts are expected to attend. The summit will be celebrated between January and April 2015 and Bilbao was chosen as the ideal host city given culture’s vital role in the city’s development strategy since the early 90’s when it began its major economic and urban transformation. www.bilbaointernational.com

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Balearic Islands to launch “Virtual Host”

2015 will see the Balearic Islands become the first destination in the world with a “Virtual Host” to guide and accompany visitors, residents and businesspeople, giving them the information they need when they need it. This innovative information system will enable visitors to access tailored information, make travel plans or hone their itineraries and share their experiences on social media. Different visitors will be served up different content depending on their interests and according to their profile, nationality and the time of year they plan to visit, ensuring that winter visitors are just as well catered for as summer ones. The technology will be launched in its entirety during FITUR at the end of January 2015.

]]>spain,news,tourism,spanish,travelTue, 18 Nov 2014 17:08:47 +0100TURESPAÑA SCOOPS WORLD TRAVEL LEADERS AWARD http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/turespaa-scoops-world-travel-leaders-award/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/turespaa-scoops-world-travel-leaders-award/Turespaña (TourSpain), the official promotional body for Spanish tourism, has won the prestigious World Travel Market 2014 World Travel Leaders award in recognition of its achievements in Spanish tourism. UK director of the Spanish Tourist Board, Enrique Ruiz received the coveted award from the editor of Hosteltur, Joaquín Molina at the WTM World Travel Leaders Awards ceremony.

The awards provide WTM’s official media partners – representing key travel industry media around the world – an excellent platform to congratulate and recognise those companies and individuals that have made significant and groundbreaking contributions to travel and tourism in their region or sector.

Three nominations from each of WTM’s media partners were judged in September by a panel of three, consisting of an independent body, a representative of WTM and the relevant media partner.

TourSpain is the national body in charge of Spain’s global marketing and is responsible for creating value for the country’s tourism sector.

It was created in 1984 as the National Tourism Promotion Institute and in 1991 was renamed the Spanish Tourism Institute- Turespaña. It has always strived to maintain professional criteria and its board includes independent business professionals and representatives from private tourism companies.

TourSpain carries out its activity abroad through a network of Spanish Tourism Offices which depend on Spain’s embassies and consulates. There are currently 33 overseas tourism offices, which act as information and marketing hubs and as business platforms for the industry.

Reed Travel Exhibitions, senior director for World Travel Market, Simon Press said: “This award represents not just what TourSpain has done for Spain’s tourism market, but the fact that it represents the industry in one of the leading destinations in Europe.“Spain has responded to the changing demands of consumers over the last 30 years and transformed itself from primarily a beach charter destination to offering a wide variety of cultural, culinary and historic experiences.”

For winter 2014/2015 (October – March), Spain will consolidate its position as tourism leader, predicting that one in every three British tourists will choose Spain as a tourism destination.

The United Kingdom continues to be Spain’s strongest inbound travel market, with more than 12.3 million UK tourists (+ 5.6% yoy) from January to September, representing a total tourism expenditure of 10.4 billion euros (+6.9% yoy). In 2013, Spain welcomed a total of 14.3 million British visitors.

Spain’s minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, speaks at WTM today and highlights the enormous loyalty of British visitors to Spain, with 85% visiting more than once, and 42% having visited 10 times.

]]>The Spanish minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, participated today in the 35th edition of World Travel Market (WTM) which is celebrated in London this week welcoming 136 country exhibitors, more than 50.000 tourism professionals and 3.000 media from around the world.

During the fair, Soria underlined the strength of the UK tourism market to Spain. The UK maintains its position as the strongest inbound tourism market to Spain and for 2014, a total of 15 million UK visitors is expected, based on the current statistics.

In 2013, Spain welcomed 14.3 million UK tourism arrivals, representing 23% of all international arrivals to Spain and 12 billion euros in expenditure. 2014 has seen significant increases both in terms of UK tourism expenditure, (+ 7% yoy), and UK visitor numbers (+5.6% yoy).

The image of Spain as a secure tourism destination, its evolution as a destination ‘beach plus’ (with an offer of sun and beach, plus a range of complimentary activities), the revival of demand to pre-crisis levels, and the indisputable leadership of Spain as a tourism destination in summer, capturing 36.2% of the UK tourism market, and in winter, 33.4% respectively, reaffirms the loyalty of British visitors, with 85% visiting more than once, and 42% having visited 10 times.

For the winter months, the majority of package bookings to Spain, will include the Canary Islands ( forecasted at 25.3%), reflecting the additional airline capacity to the Spanish archipelago, which welcomed an additional 45.037 seats in 2014.

Soria highlighted that throughout his time in office, “the policy of tourism diversification, particularly in the UK market, is attracting visitors to experience the immense diversity of the country.”

The success of the Spanish tourism offering, is based on a successful mix of quality, and a varied tourism offering including culture, gastronomy, sports, leisure etc., offered throughout the year.

The promotion via Turespaña (the Spanish Tourist Office), follows a marketing strategy designed as a result of a public opinion survey, executed by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, which looks at Spain beyond a sun and beach destination, identifying new reasons to visit Spain, out of the high season.

The Spanish participation at World Travel Market consists of an exhibitor space hosted by the Institute of Tourism of Spain (Turespaña), featuring 1.001 metres squared of stand space, 30 companies and 14 tourism destinations within Spain, made up of Spain’s regions (or autonomous communities), local councils/ tourism bodies, official entities, hotel chains, travel agencies, airlines etc.

The UK chooses Spain once again as its most favourite destination

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest tourism market and the main destination for British holidaymakers, as illustrated by the tourism statistics from the first nine months of the year.

Between January and September 2014, Spain welcomed 12.358.931 British tourists, representing a 5.6% yoy increase and a 23.6% share of all international visitors.

The tourism expenditure for this period, reached 10.4 billion euros, with UK visitors spending 6.9% more than the same period in 2013, representing 20.6% of the total tourism spend. These statistics mark record highs since the start of the statistical analysis of tourism movement across borders, created by Frontur for the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, which has been created since 2007.

Looking at the type of travel, between January and September 2014, 7.898.273 (63.9%) of British arrivals chose to travel to Spain without a package (+4.8%), whilst 4.460.658 tourists opted for a package holiday, (+6.9%).

For the first nine months of the year, UK visitors represented 109.350.583 room nights, up 6.6% with 16.3% of holidays lasting between 16 and 30 nights and 9.5% of stays, lasting between 2 and 3 days. Stays between 8 and 15 nights grew by 6.4% which underlined last year’s trend of longer duration stays.

123 new routes between Spain and the UK in 2014

In 2014, 123 new flight routes have been added to the flight network between Spain and the UK, operating from 29 British airports to 28 Spanish airports.

The first nine months of 2014, show record capacity rates for flights to Spain from the UK, based on the fact that the average capacity is 85%, and for this period, it was 87.7%.

UK tourism promotion of Spain

Throughout 2014 and as part of Turespaña’s 2012-2016 Strategic Marketing Plan, the Spanish Tourist Office in London has chosen 10 primary products in which it has focused its ‘sun and beach plus’ marketing efforts including urban, cultural, trails/routes, gastronomy, rural and nature, golf, MICE, learning holidays and special interest holidays.

In total, the Spanish Tourist Office in London has carried out 241 tourism promotional activities, including 81 press trips, 48 travel agent trips, 22 events, 30 broadcast projects, and 56 marketing and communication actions, targeted at the final consumer and the media. These activities have so far generated an equivalent advertising rate in excess of 9.3 million euros (7.4 million pounds). In addition, a Spain travel guide was created with UK publication Monocle, as well as a gastronomic guide with Food & Travel magazine.

For the last three years, the strategic focus of the Spanish Tourist Office in London is online marketing and content, which led to the development of an integrated social ecosystem, which encompasses the dedicated UK portal, a Social New Hub, targeted at media and bloggers and a growing diversification of social networks (with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), which have seen significant organic growth and a strong level of interaction.

In line with this, Spain also launched its own digital magazine, ‘SPN, inspired by Spain’, which is pioneering in the travel industry through its sections including travel, art, music, gastronomy, fashion and travel, showing a more modern and less conventional side of Spain. (www.spnmagazine.com).

From November 2014, the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, via Turespaña will carry out a promotional campaign via the UK’s main online channels, with visual imagery from the campaign ‘I Need Spain’, adapted especially for online media, with the objective of reinforcing and stabilising the Spain’s position as tourism leader.

Between January and September 2014, Spain saw a 7.4% increase in visitors when compared to 2013, with over 52.4 million international visitors

Total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of September 2014 has grown by 7.3% year on year to €50.6 billion

In September alone, Spain welcomed over 7million international visitors, up 8.1% year on year, while tourism expenditure grew by 6.8%, with a total spend of €7.1 billion

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest market for inbound tourism and expenditure, accounting for 25.3% of all international visits in September (+5.5%) and 21.9% of the total spend

UK visitor expenditure experienced a 6.9% year on year rise between January and September 2014, totalling €10.4 billion and accounting for 20.6% of the total tourism spend

]]>Source Markets

During September 2014, Spain welcomed more than 1.7 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 25% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 5.5%.

In September 2014, Germany was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, accounting for 17.5% of all international visitors, a 3% year on year increase.

In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, September 2014 saw a total spend of €7 billion, up 6.8% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (21.9%), followed by Germany (16.5%) and France (10.3%).

Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 52.4 million international tourists, a rise of 7.4% year on year, including over 12.4 million UK visitors (+5.6%). Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of September 2014 has grown by 7.3% to €50.6 billion, with the UK accounting for 20.6% (+6.9%), followed by Germany (15.6%) and France (10.4%).

Key destinations

During September 2014, all Spanish regions witnessed positive yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers.

In September 2014, Catalonia scooped 25.7% of all total international visits, receiving 1.8 million visitors, a year on year increase of 10.6%, helped by an increase in French, Asian and Italian arrivals. Expenditure in the region also saw a large increase of 8.7%, with a total spend of almost €1.8 billion (representing 25.8% of the total).

Cumulatively from January until the end of September 2014, Catalonia welcomed 13.5 million visitors (+6.6%), representing 25.7% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €12.2 billion (+6%), Catalonia accounted for 24.1% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure between January and September.

The Balearic Islands received the second highest number of visitors in September, 1.7 million, up 3.1% year on year, mainly fuelled by the German, French and Portuguese markets. However, the region did experience a 2.4% drop in expenditure year on year.

From January until the end of September, the Balearic Islands have welcomed 10.2 million international visits (+2.3%). Total tourism expenditure in the Balearic Islands for the same period totalled €9.3 billion (-2.3%), accounting for 18.4% of the total tourism spend.

For September 2014, Andalucía received 959,000 international visitors, a 7.5% year on year increase, with the UK being the principal market to the region. Expenditure was also up by 8.6% year on year, to €1 billion.

Cumulatively since January 2014, Andalucía has welcomed over 6.9 million international visitors (+8%), with expenditure increasing by 11.4% to €7.6 billion.

In September 2014 the Canary Islands welcomed over 845,000 international visitors (+7.5%), mainly fuelled by UK visitors. The Canary Islands recorded a total spend of €899,000 in September, a 5.3% increase year on year. Since January 2014, the Canary Islands has received more than 8.4 million international visitors (+11.4%) with the total tourism expenditure reaching €9.1 billion (+12.5%).

Valencia recorded an increase in visitors of 2.9% in September 2014, accounting for 9.3% of Spain’s international arrivals. In terms of spend, this increased by 6.6% to €618,000. Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of September, Valencia welcomed over 5.1 million visitors (+4.8%) and took 8.6% of the total tourism spend (€4.6 billion).

Madrid and the surroundings recorded a huge 15.3% increase in visitor arrivals in September 2014, accounting for 6.2% of all Spain’s visitors. Expenditure in Madrid also increased by 9.6% in September to €499,000.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of September, Madrid and surrounds has welcomed over 3.4 million visitors, a 9.6% year on year increase and has also recorded a 12% increase in expenditure.

The rest of Spain also saw a positive increases in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during September 2014 (+18.6% and +28.4% respectively).

Other key statistics

During September 2014, 82% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+7.1%) whilst road access accounted for 16.1% of all arrivals, a year on year increase of 13.5%.

Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (64%) in September 2014, rented accommodation saw a year on year increase of 26.9% and accounted for 12.5% of visits. Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 62.5% of visitors.

In terms of types of travel, in September 2014, 70% of international visitors opted to visit Spain independently (+12.3%), while package holidays saw a 0.7% drop.

]]>Spain,Visitor figures,UK,Germany,France,Catalonia,Balearic Islands,Andalucía,Canary Islands,Valencia,MadridFri, 31 Oct 2014 17:20:33 +0100JOIN SPAIN AND ITS REGIONS AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/join-spain-and-its-regions-at-world-travel-market/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/join-spain-and-its-regions-at-world-travel-market/The UK’s biggest travel trade show is just around the corner and from Monday 3 November Spain and its regions will be joining the rest of the world at London’s ExCel Centre with a number of enticing themed events and press conferences for travel media, travel trade, travel bloggers and tour operator partners.
]]>The Spanish Tourist Office (TURESPAÑA) will be exhibiting at World Travel Market on stands EMI550/ EM1500.

Below is a round-up of all Spain’s World Travel Markets events and how to get involved!

Join Elias Bendodo, President of the Málaga-Costa del Sol Tourist Board for a breakfast press briefing to hear about new developments in the Costa del Sol - the Spanish region which includes popular holiday destinations such as Málaga, Marbella, Torremolinos, Mijas and Ronda.

Places are open to WTM media and bloggers. To confirm a spot, please email josies@hillsbalfour.com or call 020 7367 0958

Join the representatives of the Balearic Islands for a tourism update and to find out about new developments on the islands.

Limited places are available open to registered WTM media and bloggers. To apply for a spot, please emailpress.london@tourspain.es

Tuesday 4 November

*Presentation by Gilbert and George followed by regional food tasting12:45 – 13.30Place: ExCeL EM 1550

Following their successful exhibition ‘LONDON PICTURES’ which was displayed at Casal Solleric in Palma de Mallorca in 2013, artistic due Gilbert and George will host a one off presentation on the Balearic Islands stand, followed by a tasting of typical Balearic cuisine.

Limited places are open to registered WTM media and bloggers. To apply for a spot, please email spain@lotus-uk.co.uk or call 02079537470.

A one-off pop up event created by London’s most esteemed pop-up company Shuttlecock, transporting guests to the southern region of Spain to enjoy typical Andalucían cuisine, and introducing them to Andalucía’s new campaign entitled ‘Your best you’.

Limited places are available to travel and food media, freelance journalists who specialise in travel, food a/o travel bloggers and tour operator partners that sell holidays to Andalucía. To apply for a place, please email your details topress.london@tourspain.es

Join Palma de Mallorca for the launch of Passion for Running, an exciting new product which aims to raise Palma’s profile for sports tourism and put the city on the map as the ideal destination for athletes and running aficionados. Pedro Homar from the Fundación de Turismo Palma de Mallorca 365 will be joined by special guest speaker, Kathrine Switzer, one of running’s most iconic figures, who challenged the all-male tradition of the Boston Marathon and became the first woman to run as a registered entry in 1967.

Limited places are available to travel and sports media, freelance journalists who specialise in travel or sport, travel a/o sports bloggers and operators that sell Palma de Mallorca. To apply for a place, please emailMaria@lotus-uk.co.ukor call 020795374670.

-Ends-

For more information on Spain as a holiday destination, please visit our stand during WTM or visit www.spain.info.

]]>Palma,Palma de Mallorca,Spain,World Travel Market,Press Conference,Media events,Breakfast,Briefings,Balearic,IslandsFri, 24 Oct 2014 18:59:48 +0200NH COLLECTION PRESENTS ITS FLAGSHIP: NH COLLECTION EUROBUILDINGhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/nh-collection-presents-its-flagship-nh-collection-eurobuilding/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/nh-collection-presents-its-flagship-nh-collection-eurobuilding/NH Collection Eurobuilding has reopened its doors after three months of intense refurbishment and significant investment. With its new premium service, business travel, pioneering technology and haute cuisine, the NH Collection Eurobuilding has positioned itself as one of the most emblematic hotels in Madrid and as the NH Collection’s flagship property in Spain.

Upon entering the hotel, guests can experience the new LED vault screen over the lobby, Europe’s largest multimedia vault screen and the largest vaulted (semi-transparent) display installed in a hotel anywhere in the world. Equipped with spatial sound, and able to project tailor-made images and sounds, the screens flood the lobby with colour and light for an unmatched experience. State-of-the-art technology is apparent throughout the property including in the four “Living Lab” bedrooms where guests can use video support to see the receptionist when making an enquiry, and take advantage of the wireless charging of mobile devices, among other services. The technology is designed to enhance the user experience, identify and encourage entrepreneurial talent and the promotion of start-ups by NH employees.

Food lovers can indulge in the hotel’s four restaurants devoted to haute cuisine. David Muñoz’ sensational DiverXO is the only three Michelin stars restaurant in Madrid, where hearty Iberian traditions meet the fragrant flavours of China and Japan. Other fine dining space in the hotel is taken by Michelin star chef Paco Roncero, and renowned mixologist Diego Cabrera who have come together to create the new extraordinary culinary space, DOMO by Roncero & Cabrera.

]]>NH Collection Eurobuilding,NH Collection,Madrid,Spain,David Muñoz,Paco Roncero,Diego Cabrera,DiverXO,DOMO by Roncero & CabreraFri, 17 Oct 2014 13:20:40 +0200THE SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE AND MONOCLE MAGAZINE LAUNCH THE 2015 SPAIN TRAVEL GUIDEhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-spanish-tourist-office-and-monocle-magazine-launch-the-2015-spain-travel-guide/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-spanish-tourist-office-and-monocle-magazine-launch-the-2015-spain-travel-guide/Monocle Magazine, in conjunction with the Spanish Tourist Office, has just launched the new comprehensive Monocle Spain Travel Guide, which aims to give readers an insight into Spain from innovative new vantage points. Written by Monocle’s seasoned travel experts, the guide explores how to do Spain in many different ways - on skis, by boat, train, bike and car, or on foot.

The travel guide highlights Spain’s fantastic offering for keen skiers, delving into some off the radar Spanish towns which offer exceptional experiences. The best ski resorts, hotels, après ski entertainment, food and best ski schools are also included.

The Spain by Train section covers routes for food lovers, culture enthusiasts and those interested in unique designs and landmarks. With fun and useful facts such as the no luggage size limit on certain trains and best restaurants to make a pit stop at; this section is an essential guide to exploring Spain’s vast train network.

With some of the best roads in Europe, a road trip across Spain is often a popular choice. The Monocle guide takes readers on a route along the Northern coast through ‘Green Spain’ with the best places to stop for historic sights, must-see shops and restaurants. In turn, the Spain by Bike section gives cyclists the tools to explore the 1,800km of disused train tracks, ‘vías verdes’ with routes suitable for all cyclist skill levels.

The Spain Travel Guide also covers the best ways to enjoy Spain’s warm waters and explore the country’s wealth of culture and heritage by boat. Through a mix of island hopping and a cruise along the south coast, the guide features some of the best beaches and sites to explore. If readers prefer travelling by foot, this guide ensures that the best exploration spots are not missed and even the seasoned traveller can find something unique and suited to their taste, from gourmet cuisine to the rich history that lines the streets.

Within the pages of the Spain Travel Guide lies an abundance of travel tips and advice for exploring Spain’s old cathedrals, the diverse Paradores, the best beaches and mouth-watering cuisine.

In August 2014, Spain welcomed record visitor numbers, exceeding 9 million visitors for the first time in history with 9.1 million international arrivals

In August, visitor numbers were up 8.8% year on year, while tourism expenditure grew by 8.7%, with a total spend of €9.1 billion

Between January and August 2014, Spain saw a 7.3% increase in visitors when compared to 2013, with over 45.4 million international visitors

The total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of August 2014 has grown by 7.4% year on year to €43.5 billion

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest market for inbound tourism and expenditure, accounting for almost 23.6% of all international visits in August (+9.4%) and almost 23% of the total spend

UK visitor expenditure experienced a 7.6% rise between January and August 2014, totalling €8.9 billion and accounting for 20.4% of the total tourism spend

]]>Source Markets

During August 2014, Spain welcomed more than 2.1 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 23.6% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 5.8%.

In August 2014, France was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, reaching 2 million visitors in a single month for the first time, and accounting for 17% of all international visitors, a 9.4% year on year increase.

In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, August 2014 saw a total spend of €9 billion, up 8.7% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (22.9%), followed by Germany (14.1%) and France (14%).

Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 45.4 million international tourists, a rise of 7.3% year on year, including over 10.5 million UK visitors (+5.6%). Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of August 2014 has also grown by 8.7% to €43.5 billion, with the UK accounting for 23.3% (+5.6%), followed by France (16.8%) and Germany (15.7%).

Key Destinations

During August 2014, all Spanish regions saw yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers, with Madrid and the CanaryIslands recording the biggest year on year increase (+19.1% and 12.4% respectively).

In August 2014, Catalonia received the highest number of international visitors (2.4 million), a year on year increase of 7.5%, helped by an increase in French and Italian arrivals. Expenditure in the region also saw a large increase of 6.8%, with a total spend of almost €2.2 billion (representing 24.7% of the total).

Cumulatively from January until the end of August 2014, Catalonia welcomed 11.6 million visitors (+5.6%), representing 23.9% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €10.4 billion (+5.6%), Catalonia accounted for 23.9% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure between January and August.

The Balearic Islands received the second highest number of visitors in July, 2.2 million, up 6.2% year on year, mainly fuelled by German, British and, to a lesser extent, Italian arrivals. The region registered a total income of €2.36 billion.

From January until the end of August, the Balearic Islands have welcomed 8.5 million international visits (+2.2%). Total tourism expenditure in the Balearic Islands for the same period was in excess of €7.76 billion (-2.3%), accounting for 17.8% of the total tourism spend.

For August 2014, Andalucía received 1.2 million international arrivals, a 5.6% year on year increase, with the UK being the principal market to the region. Expenditure was also up by 10% year on year, to €1.3 billion.Cumulatively since January 2014, Andalucía has welcomed over 5.9 million international visitors (+13.2%), with expenditure increasing by 14.9% to €6.5 billion.

In August 2014 the CanaryIslands welcomed almost 978,000 international visitors (+12.4%). The Canary Islands recorded a total spend of €1.149 in August, an 14.7% increase year on year and 12.6% of the total spend. Since January 2014, the Canary Islands has received more than 7.5 million international visitors (+12.6%) with the total tourism expenditure reaching €8.2 billion (+13.5%).

The Region of Valencia recorded an increase in visitors of 8.1% in August 2014. In terms of spend, it increased by 11.1% to €862,000, accounting for 9.5% of the total spend. Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of August, Valencia welcomed over 4.4 million visitors (+5.1%).

Madrid and the surroundings recorded a 19.1% increase in visitor arrivals in August 2014, reaching similar figures to those in 2006, and accounting for 3.9% of all visitors. Expenditure in Madrid also increased by 5.3% in August to €478,000.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of August, Madrid and surrounds has welcomed over 3 million visitors, a 8.8% year on year increase and has also recorded an 12.3% increase in expenditure.

The rest of Spain also saw a positive increase in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during August 2014

Other key statistics

During August 2014, 72.2% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+8.3%) whilst road access accounted for 24.6% of all arrivals, a year on year increase of 8.3%.

Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (54%) in August 2014, rented accommodation saw a year on year increase of nearly 30% and accounted for 18.4% of visits. Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 62.2% of visitors.

In terms of types of travel, in August 75.5% of international visitors opted to visit Spain as part of a package holiday (+15%), while 24.5% opted to travel without a package (-6.6%).

]]>spain,visitor figures,UK,France,GermanyThu, 02 Oct 2014 16:16:18 +0200BRITISH AIRWAYS LAUNCHES NEW LAS PALMAS AND SEVILLE SERVICES FROM GATWICKhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/british-airways-launches-new-las-palmas-and-seville-services-from-gatwick/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/british-airways-launches-new-las-palmas-and-seville-services-from-gatwick/British Airways has announced the launch of new direct services to Las Palmas and Seville from London Gatwick starting in March 2015.

From 29 March, the new flights to Seville will depart from Gatwick on Mondays and Thursdays from £39 each way. On the same day British Airways also launches a new flight route to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria from Gatwick operating on Tuesdays and Sundays from £69 each way, just in time for the spring / summer season when the Spanish sunshine is an even bigger draw.

Seville represents the authentic characteristics of Andalucía, with its famous cathedral, vast range of tapas bars and romantic medieval lanes and secret plazas. Witness the city's signature flamenco dancing in bars filled with statement Spanish music, creating a spirited and lively atmosphere.

As well as being Spain's seventh largest city and a lively urban hub, Las Palmas is the gateway to Gran Canaria's wide stretches of sandy beaches and cool waters and the perfect Canary Island destination.

Both services are available to book now. Prices are inclusive of all taxes and charges and include hand baggage only.

]]>British Airways,Seville,Las Palmas,New Routes,Gatwick,London,SpainThu, 25 Sep 2014 18:43:30 +0200THE SIXTH YEAR OF SPAIN NOW! RETURNS TO LONDON FROM 9 OCTOBERhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-sixth-year-of-spain-now-returns-to-london-from-9-october/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/the-sixth-year-of-spain-now-returns-to-london-from-9-october/The sixth annual season for contemporary Spanish art and culture will take over London from 9 October to 25 November. Spain NOW! 2014 will showcase the latest creative talent through a number of exhibitions, events and performances all around London portraying Spain’s creativity and cultural diversity.
]]>The sixth annual season for contemporary Spanish art and culture will take over London from October to 25th November. Spain NOW! 2014 will showcase the latest creative talent through a number of exhibitions, events and performances all around London portraying Spain’s creativity and cultural diversity. The season offers a snapshot into Spain’s contemporary arts scene and spans across dance, literature, architecture and visual art at a variety of London venues such as the Barbican Centre, Sadler’s Wells and the Hanmi Gallery in Fitzrovia.

Architect and theorist, Andrés Jaque, will open the season on 9October following his win of the Silver Lion at this year’s Venice Biennale. He will be exploring the borders of architecture, how it evolves to meet the challenges of the city and whether it connects and communicates with society. The opening day will also see the Barbican Centre host the premiere of ‘El Edificio’ directed by Victor Moreno which looks at the renovation of the iconic Edificio España; an emblematic building in Madrid that symbolised prosperity under the Franco regime.

Events throughout the season include the Open Studios Weekend from 7th to 9th November which will see Spanish artists open their studio doors to the public, as well as the launch of new English translations of two works of contemporary fiction by authors Nicolás Casariego and Pedro Zarraluki, held in London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury. Founding editor of ‘Words without Borders’, Samantha Schnee, will join the launch encouraging conversation around this year’s theme of ‘humour in contemporary Spanish fiction’. In mid-October photographer Ricky Dávila will exhibit works at the 12 Star Gallery in Westminster, in collaboration with PhotoEspaña, a prestigious photography festival which is cited as one of the highlights of Spain Now! 2014.

AVA Dance will close the season on 24-25th November, with the performance of ‘Provisional Landscapes’ at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells. Spain NOW! 2014’s programme of events and exhibitions will use London as a platform to display Spain’s wealth of contemporary art and culture.

]]>sixth year,art,culture,Barbican Centre,Spain,London,Sadler's Wells,Hanmi Gallery,Fitzrovia,Silver Lion,Spain NOW!Fri, 19 Sep 2014 18:42:33 +0200NAUTICAL SPORTS IN SPAIN YEAR ROUNDhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/nautical-sports-in-spain-year-round/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/nautical-sports-in-spain-year-round/Nautical stations across Spain's top tourist destinations!With Autumn slowly making an appearance, many of us are packing up our swimsuits but with warm autumnal days in Spain, reaching temperatures well over 20 degrees, Spain offers the chance to enjoy a number of water sports, with fewer crowds and great out of season deals.

Andalucía

With 300 days of sunshine a year, La Estación Cadiz dos Mares, located in El Puerto de Santa Maria near Cadiz is the perfect place to take advantage of Spain’s many water sports, particularly sailing and kitesurfing thanks to 260 miles of shoreline and 83 beaches. Guests can battle the waves and the ocean either on a surfboard, in a boat or underwater, by diving into the depths of either the Atlantic or the Mediterranean, thanks to the privileged location.

The Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands offer a paradisiacal setting for water sports lovers. With pristine beaches, rocky islets, forests, cliffs and crystal clear waters, the Balearic Islands cater for a variety of sports and Spanish water sports association Estaciones Náuticas offers centres in Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza, offering a variety of water and land-based activities such as windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, water skiing, sailing, mountain biking and horse riding.

Divers can take advantage of the Balearic Islands’ unique marine bio system and enjoy exceptional marine life, islets, caves and sea grass meadows blended into the dramatic landscapes.

The region of Valencia

Based in the northern area of Alicante, this distinctive water station allows visitors to learn, practice or simply enjoy the existing sporting activities 365 days a year. For divers in particular, Estación Náutica Marina Alta is admirable due to its seabed carrying great ecological value and blessed with picturesque rocky shores on the Marine Reserve.

The Canary Islands

The Canary Islands present a mixture of idyllic beach resorts and quiet rural areas with a year-round sunny climate.

The famous Estación Náutica Gran Canaria has been the beacon for many Olympic medallists and European boating finalists, along with hosting major sports events including ARC Transatlantic Race, the Grand Slam Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing, the Prince of Asturias senior cruise and regatta Sailing Olympic Week Canaria. La Estación Náutica Gran Canaria enables guests to partake in numerous leisure activities, such as sailing, boat tours, whale watching, windsurfing, surfing, rowing, boating, parasailing, fishing and diving - or for those seeking a more tranquil vacation, the many sandy beaches are perfect for soaking up the sunshine.

Cataluña

Since 2002, Vilanova i la Geltrú has gained world acclaim as a marine resort, located 30 minutes from Barcelona and 45 minutes from Tarragona. Ideal for water sports such as snorkelling, windsurfing and sailing, Vilanova i la Geltrú can easily be combined with a city break to Barcelona and also features other complimentary leisure activities like mountain and quad biking.

Santa Susanna in Barcelona offers a range of water activities and lessons adapted to different levels of difficulty, with over two miles of beach, a mountain area and a large sector of warm Spanish waters. Sports activities include sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling, water-skiing, ski- bus, boating, parasailing, kayaking, kite-surfing and kayaking.

Stretching across 60 miles of coastline, touching Salou, Cambrils, Miami Playa, Hospitalet del Infant and Ametlla Sea, Estación Náutica Costa Daurada consists of a generous sweep of sandy beaches and hidden coves. Offering an impressive 30 different water sports, including the exclusive Tuna Tour which involves swimming in areas populated by schools of tuna and other marine wildlife, this centre is a magnet for water sports enthusiasts seeking new experiences.

Ceuta

By blending two oceans and sharing a boarder with Morocco in the southern regions of Spain, Ceuta pushes the boundaries of the average water-sporting location, in close proximity to Morocco making it an enticing destination. Guests can benefit from the large variety of sporting activities from scuba diving to whale spotting, and even take up maritime training courses.

Galicia

With a total of 16 ports, Rías Baixas is an ideal location to participate in many sports as it has the largest estuary in the whole of Galicia. Uniquely formed due to an efficient ecosystem, which allows conservation of the saltwater tides, saving them from the open sea, Rías Baixas provides a safe, sheltered and controlled experience.

Offering a range of activities such as fishing, scuba diving and kayaking, the water sports offering enables guests to discover Galicia’s wild 1200km coastline, strung with cliffs, sandy beaches, islands and fishing ports.

Murcia

Specialising in scuba diving, Mar Menor gives guests the opportunity to venture into the deep Mediterranean to spot some of Spain’s most diverse marine wildlife. With two regional parks, two dramatic marine reserves offering unspoilt beauty and 315 days of sunshine annually, Mar Menor is another top choice for water sports lovers.

]]>nautical sports,spain,andalucia,baleares,menorca,ibiza,mallorca,peniscola,c.valenciana,canarias,gran canaria,barcelona,cataluna,ceuta,galicia,murcia,cabo de palos,waterFri, 12 Sep 2014 18:46:52 +0200ZARAGOZA GETS READY FOR THE FIESTAS DEL PILARhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/zaragoza-gets-ready-for-the-fiestas-del-pilar/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/zaragoza-gets-ready-for-the-fiestas-del-pilar/The city of Zaragoza is gearing up for its biggest party of the year, the Fiestas del Pilar. One of Spain’s largest folkloric street festivals, this annual celebration attracts visitors from across the globe to this vibrant city, home to over half the population of Aragón, and is the ideal time to visit.

The much anticipated fiestas originated from a celebration of the time St James the Apostle came to spread the word about Christianity in 40AD. It is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared on a pillar and asked for a church to be built where he was standing. Today, the Basilica del Pilar marks the spot and hordes of pilgrims still come to kiss a small unprotected part of the famous pillar where the Virgin descended.

Kicking off on 4 October, Zaragoza will indulge in ten hedonistic days of partying and patriotism. Activities include theatre, music, dancing, beer-garden style parties, a funfair and puppet shows among other things. Partake in the inevitable and spontaneous Flamenco dancing or learn to dance the Jota with the locals! The festival comes alive in the evenings in El Tubo with its large selection of bars filled with lively partygoers.

12 October sees hundreds of merrymakers honour the Virgin of Pilar with offerings of flowers and fruit before following a spectacular parade that travels magnificently through the city streets. On 13 October head to the city centre to enjoy the grand finale, involving a rainbow of fireworks across the majestic Ebro River.

Between January and July 2014, Spain saw a 7% increase in visitors when compared to 2013, with over 36.3 million international visitors

Total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of July 2014 has grown by 7% year on year to €34.5 billion

In July alone, Spain welcomed 8.3 million international visitors, up 5.9% year on year, while tourism expenditure grew by 4.5%, with a total spend of €8.1 billion

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest market for inbound tourism and expenditure, accounting for 23% of all international visits in July (+4.6%) and 19.6% of the total spend

UK visitor expenditure experienced a 7.1% rise between January and July 2014, totalling €6.8 billion and accounting for 19.7% of the total tourism spend

]]>Source Markets

During July 2014, Spain welcomed more than 1.9 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 23% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 4.6%.

In July 2014, France was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, accounting for 17% of all international visitors, a 12.4% year on year increase.

In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, July 2014 saw a total spend of €8.1 billion, up 4.5% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (19.6%), followed by Germany (13.1%) and France (10.8%).

Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 36.3 million international tourists, a rise of 7% year on year, including over 8.4 million UK visitors (+5.5%). Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of July 2014 has also grown by 7% to €34.5 billion, with the UK accounting for 19.7% (+7.1%), followed by Germany (15.8%) and the Nordic countries (10.6%).

Key destinations

During July 2014, all Spanish regions saw yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers, with the Canary Islands recording the biggest year on year increase (+8.4%).

In July 2014, Catalonia received the highest number of international visitors (2.1 million), a year on year increase of 2.6%, helped by an increase in French arrivals (+0.9%). Expenditure in the region also saw a large increase of 9.4%, with a total spend of almost €2.2 billion (representing 26.6% of the total).

Cumulatively from January until the end of July 2014, Catalonia welcomed 9.3 million visitors (+5.7%), representing 25.6% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €8.1 billion (+5.3%), Catalonia accounted for 23.6% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure between January and July.

The Balearic Islands received the second highest number of visitors in July, 2.1 million, up 3.9% year on year, mainly fuelled by the British market (+4%). However, the region did experience a 5.3% drop in expenditure year on year.

From January until the end of July, the Balearic Islands have welcomed 6.3 million international visits (+0.8%). Total tourism expenditure in the Balearic Islands for the same period was in excess of €5.4 billion (-4.2%), accounting for 15.7% of the total tourism spend.

For July 2014, Andalucía received in excess of 1 million international arrivals, a 7.4% year on year increase, with the UK being the principal market to the region. Expenditure was also up by 6.7% year on year, to €1.2 billion.

Cumulatively since January 2014, Andalucía has welcomed over 4.7 million international visitors (+8.7%), with expenditure increasing by 12.3% to €5.2 billion.

In July 2014 the Canary Islands welcomed almost 915,000 international visitors and saw the largest year on year growth (+8.4%). UK visitors accounted for 38.5% of the total visits to the region, a 9.2% increase year on year. The Canary Islands recorded a total spend of €987,000 in July, an 8.3% increase year on year and 12.1% of the total spend. Since January 2014, the Canary Islands has received more than 6.5 million international visitors (+11.8%) with the total tourism expenditure reaching €7 billion (+13.1%).

Valencia recorded an increase in visitors of 0.7% in July 2014, accounting for 10.1% of Spain’s international arrivals. In terms of spend, this dropped by 3.4% to €739,000, but still accounted for 9.1% of the total spend. Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of July, Valencia welcomed over 3.4 million visitors (+4.3%).

Madrid and the surroundings recorded a 4.7% increase in visitor arrivals in July 2014, accounting for 4.3% of all visitors. Expenditure in Madrid also increased by 1.5% in July to €457,000.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of July, Madrid and surrounds has welcomed over 2.6 million visitors, a 7.6% year on year increase and has also recorded an 11% increase in expenditure.

The rest of Spain also saw a positive increases in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during July 2014 (+21.6% and 26.7% respectively).

Other key statistics

During July 2014, 75% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+3%) whilst road access accounted for 23% of all arrivals, a year on year increase of 13.1%.

Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (57%) in July 2014, rented accommodation saw a year on year increase of 14.1% and accounted for 13.6% of visits. Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 64.4% of visitors.

In terms of types of travel, in July 71.2% of international visitors opted to visit Spain as part of a package holiday (+8%), while 28.8% opted to travel without a package (+1%).

Home to over 800km of coastline, great weather, historical heritage and exquisite gastronomy, the southern Spanish region receives approximately eight million international tourists every year, making it one of the most popular tourist regions in Spain. The region is also home to some very successful large Spanish football clubs including Málaga CF who play in La Liga, and Sevilla FC who are the reigning Europa League Champions.

The Andalucía tourist board hopes to utilise this unique opportunity to reach the Premier League’s UK audience and showcase the very best of the destination. In turn, Aston Villa hopes to inspire its fans to explore Andalucía and take advantage of the regular flights departing from Birmingham and East Midlands airports.

]]>Spain,Andalucía,Aston Villa,Premier League,football spanishWed, 27 Aug 2014 17:24:14 +0200ISSUE 1 OF SPN - THE E-MAG ON CONTEMPORARY SPAIN GOES LIVE http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/issue-1-of-spn--the-e-mag-on-contemporary-spain---goes-live/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/issue-1-of-spn--the-e-mag-on-contemporary-spain---goes-live/The Summer Issue of Spain’s cutting edge arts and culture magazine is now available online and across IOS, Android and Kindle Fire platforms highlighting the best of contemporary and off-the-beaten-track Spain.

To view the current issue of SPN, please click here
]]>The Summer Issue of Spain’s cutting edge arts and culture magazine is now available online and across IOS, Android and Kindle Fire platforms highlighting the best of contemporary and off-the-beaten-track Spain.

Issue 1 of SPN, the digital magazine on Spain’s culture, travel and arts, has gone live. The cutting edge magazine, which showcases the very best of contemporary Spanish design, arts, culture, gastronomy, travel and music, is now available to read online or as a free app on iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire and Android devices.

Focused on the more unexpected side of Spain, the e-mag showcases both established and emerging talent in Spain kicking off with a special animated front cover, entitled ‘Travelling’ by Madrid born artist and architect Pablo Padilla Jargstorf offering a very special interpretation of a journey. New sections include ‘Made in SPN’ showcasing fresh, innovative products and ideas, a especially created summer music playlist offering a crash course on Spain’s music scene, and a look through the readers 'Instagram lens' with a new photo collage bursting with summer colour.

Spain’s up and coming gallery and museum highlights are selected by contributing editor Belén Palanco; an arts, photography and architecture journalist, and music professional Claudia Haddow looks at Spain’s summer music festivals and checks out the new kids on the block all throughout the country vying for space and recognition alongside the more established siblings of Sonar and Primavera. To continue with the travel theme, Fiona Dunlop shares her secret Córdoba tips in the 'Shy City' section.

For those seeking inspiration, a pick of the hottest Spanish contemporary fiction with brand new English translations is featured in the ‘let us inspire you’ section as well as a global round up of events where Spain takes centre stage. One of the most personal voices in Spanish literature Mercedes Cebrián also transports readers on a wonderfully abstract journey with her short story and this month’s ‘one to watch’ features former slaughter house Matadero Madrid as one’s of Spain’s most significant cultural centres.

SPN is the brainchild of Enrique Ruiz de Lera, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London and editor in chief of the e-mag. Antonio Molina-Vázquez, the editor, is the founder and director of Spain NOW!, the annual season of contemporary Spanish art in London. His experience both at major UK institutions and at the helm of Spain NOW! has positioned him as a go-to contact for emerging Spanish artists, as well as ensuring he has his finger on the pulse of London’s own vibrant arts scene.

The first six months of 2014 saw a 7.3% increase compared to 2013, with over 28 million international visitors to Spain

In June alone, Spain welcomed 6.6 million international visitors, up 4.5% year on year and tourism expenditure grew by 3.9% year on year, with a total spend of €6.2 billion

Total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of June 2014 has grown by 7.8% year on year to €26.3 billion

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest inbound tourism market accounting for 23.3% of all international visits to Spain between January and June 2014 (+5.8%) with over 6.5 million visitors

UK visitor expenditure experienced a 10.2% rise between January and June 2014, totalling €5.2 billion and accounting for 19.8% of the total tourism spend

]]>Source Markets

During June 2014, Spain welcomed more than 1.7 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 26.5% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 3%.

In June 2014, Germany was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, accounting for 17.2% of all international visitors, a 10.8% year on year increase, followed by France which represented 12.4% (+7%).

In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, June 2014 saw a total spend of €6.2 billion, up 3.9% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (22.6%), followed by Germany (16.4%) and France (7.7%).

Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 28 million international tourists, a rise of 7.3% year on year, including over 6.5 million UK visitors (+5.8%). Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of June 2014 has grown by 7.8% to €26.3 billion, with the UK accounting for 19.8% (+10.2%), followed by Germany (16.7%) and the Nordic countries (10.6%).

Key destinations

During June 2014, all Spanish regions saw yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers, with Madrid and surrounds recording the biggest year on year increase (+14.5%).

In June 2014, the Balearic Islands received the highest number of international visitors (1.7 million), a year on year increase of 2.1%, mainly fuelled by German and, to a lesser extent, Italian arrivals. This equalled 26.4% of total tourism arrivals in June 2014. Despite an increase in visitors, expenditure dropped by 2.2% in June, with a total spend of €1.53 billion (representing 24.7% of the total).

Cumulatively from January until the end of June 2014 the Balearic Islands has welcomed more than 4.2 million visitors (-0.6%), representing 15.1% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €3.5 billion (-3.6%), the Balearic Islands accounted for 13.2% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure in the first six months of the year.

Catalonia received the second highest number of visitors in June, 1.7 million, up 2.4% year on year. The region also saw the highest expenditure for the month (€1.55 billion), representing 24.9% of the total spend.

From January until the end of June, Catalonia has welcomed the highest number of visitors, accounting for a quarter of all arrivals with 7.1 million international visits (+6.7%). Total tourism expenditure in Catalonia for the same period was in excess of €5.9 billion (+3.9%), accounting for 23% of the total tourism spend in Spain and making it Spain’s second most popular region in terms of expenditure this year (after the Canary Islands).

For June 2014, the Canary Islands received in excess of 769,000 international arrivals in June, an 8.1% year on year increase, with the UK and Germany identified as the main contributors towards this growth. Expenditure was also up by 5.1% year on year, to €720.000.

Cumulatively since January 2014, the Canary Islands has welcomed over 5.6 million international visitors (+12.4%). The Canary Islands has also seen the highest expenditure (€6.1 billion), a 13.9% year on year increase and 23% of the total spend by international visitors in Spain.

In June 2014 the region of Andalucía welcomed just over 856,000 international visitors (+5.5%), mainly thanks to UK visitors, who accounted for 25.2% of the total visits to the region. Andalucía also recorded a total spend of €911,000 in June, a 6.9% increase year on year and 14.7% of the total spend. Since January 2014, Andalucía has received more than 3.7 million international visitors (+9%) with the total tourism expenditure reaching €4 billion (+14%).

Madrid and the surroundings saw the most significant year on year growth in international visitors in June 2014, with a +14.5% increase, accounting for 6.3% of all visitors. Expenditure in Madrid also increased by 20.3% in June to €555,000.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of June, Madrid and surrounds has welcomed over 2.3 million visitors, an 8% year on year increase and accounted for 10.4% of the total international visitor expenditure.

Valencia recorded an increase in visitors of 0.9% in June 2014, accounting for 9.5% of Spain’s international arrivals. In terms of spend, this dropped by 1.5% to €512,000, but still accounted for 8.2% of the total spend.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of June, Valencia welcomed over 2.7 million visitors (+5.6%), and recorded a 0.5% increase in expenditure.

The rest of Spain also saw a positive increases in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during June 2014 (+10.4% and 26.2% respectively).

Average tourism spend

During June 2014, the average spend per tourist in Spain was €944 (-0.6%) whilst the average daily spend was €111 (+1%).

UK visitors spent an average of €806 per tourist (+1.9%) with an average daily spend of €100 (+5.5%). Visitors from the US had the highest spend (€2,336 per tourist), a 16.6% year on year increase.

Other key statistics

During June 2014, 84% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+3.4%) whilst road access accounted for 14.9% of all arrivals (+10.8%).

Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (67%) in June 2014 (+3.4%), rented accommodation saw a significant year on year increase of 23.8% and accounted for 12.6% of visits. Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 66.5% of visitors with non-hotel accommodation accounting for 33.5%.

In terms of types of travel, in June 33% of international visitors opted to visit Spain as part of a package holiday (+10.6%), while 67% opted to travel without a package (+1.8%).

The trio, who boast 104 Test appearances between them, are set to be part of a fun-packed autumn cricket calendar at Spain's flagship resort that will offer amateurs across the UK the chance to line-up alongside some of their sporting idols.

Fowler and Maynard will be appearing in the La Manga Cricket Club Tom Maynard Trust T20 Tournament in honour of Maynard's late son.

Taking place from September 25-29, the three day packages priced from €250 (approx. £210) per person and include the entry fee into the competition, four nights' twin share accommodation in a three-bedroom apartment in La Manga Club's Las Lomas Village, a barbeque buffet, charity raffle and auction and prize-giving on the final day.

Regarded as Europe's premier sports and leisure destination, La Manga Club is regularly used by county and international cricket teams as a warm-weather training base, and the addition of the two regulation club turf pitches and four full-length nets has helped to cement the resort's standing as the 'home of cricket in Spain'.

Boasting an average 300 days' sun a year, the Mediterranean climate makes it possible to train outdoors in the sunshine all-year round and La Manga Club also stages a series of popular Cricket España junior cricket academies during school holidays.

La Manga Club's outstanding sports facilities are just part of the overall attraction. Three 18-hole championship golf courses, a 28-court tennis centre and a 2,000sqm spa complex are just some of the facilities on offer in addition to more than 20 restaurants and bars and a five-star hotel.

]]>Cricket,Spain,La Manga,T20 Tournament,Tom Maynard,Club,CharityWed, 30 Jul 2014 18:08:19 +0200MADRID’S HOTEL DE LAS LETRAS BECOMES THE FIRST HOTEL IN SPAIN TO OFFER ONLINE CHECK-INhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/madrids-hotel-de-las-letras-becomes-the-first-hotel-in-spain-to-offer-online-check-in/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/madrids-hotel-de-las-letras-becomes-the-first-hotel-in-spain-to-offer-online-check-in/The Hotel de las Letras, part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has become the first hotel in Spain to offer online check-in.

The new service aims to speed up the check in process and allows visitors to spend more time enjoying their stay in the Spanish capital.

The process is simple – guests receive an email offering them the option to check in online prior to their arrival and, if they accept, on their arrival date they will receive a text message advising of their room number and the time the room will be ready. On arrival at the hotel, guests can head straight for the dedicated online check-in area in the lobby where they just need to show some ID in order to collect their room key.

The hotel is offering the service via US company, CheckMate, who specialise in providing online and mobile check-in software.

Hotel de las Letras is a design hotel located on Madrid’s central boulevard, Gran Via. Housed within a beautiful building from 1917, it fuses together old and new seamlessly across its 109 guest rooms, where high ceilings and huge windows sit side by side with modern furnishings and luxurious touches. The perfect hotel for all literary fans - the property comes complete with its own library and inspirational phrases from famous books can be found on the walls.

Rooms at Hotel de las Letras start from £160 per room per night, based on two people sharing.

]]>madrid,online check in,hotel news,spain,hotel de las letrasFri, 25 Jul 2014 15:49:25 +0200SPAIN GETS READY FOR FIESTA SEASON!http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-gets-ready-for-fiesta-season/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/spain-gets-ready-for-fiesta-season/August is almost upon us and anyone planning to visit Spain next month may find themselves immersed in some of the most fun and wacky fiestas on earth. Most towns hold their own fiestas, and cities like Madrid have different neighbourhood fiestas each week, so there is always something exciting going on.

Here’s a selection of some of the top August fiestas, from the north to the south of Spain:

International Festival, Santander

From 4-31 August, visitors to Santander can enjoy Cantabria’s biggest cultural event. You’ll find music, art, dance and theatre taking place everywhere from the most grand gardens and palaces to churches and even caves!

August Fiestas, Ibiza

The parties in Ibiza aren’t just inside the clubs and between 5 and 15 August everyone will be celebrating, with ten days of local fiestas which include fireworks, sporting competitions and a special tribute to the island’s seafaring heritage.

San Lorenzo Fiestas, Huesca

Head to Huesca in Aragón between 9-15 August for a week of fiestas celebrating the city’s Patron Saint, San Lorenzo. Catch traditional music and dancing, parties, religious processions and activities for visitors of all ages this week.

Semana Grande in Bilbao and San Sebastián

From 9-16 August San Sebastián will be awash with merrymakers, free concerts and theatre, pop up bars across the city, fireworks and fun throughout both day and night, while 16-24 August it will be Bilbao’s turn.

Octopus Festival in O Carballiño, Galicia

10 August sees the annual Octopus Festival take place in the Galician town of O Carballiño and is the perfect moment to sample the tasty local delicacy, Pulpo Gallego. Around 25,000 kilos of octopus will be cooked up – all washed down with Ribeiro wine!

Feria de Málaga

Between 16 and 23 August Málaga is the place to be, with events, processions and fireworks taking place all over the city. The central point of the Feria is the El Real fairground area, where there’s a definite festival vibe, but you’ll also find plenty of action on the beach and at the port, as well as within the city’s historic winding streets.

Walking Festival, La Palma, Canary Islands

If you’ve overindulged with the rest of Spain over the fiesta period, head over to the island of La Palma between 22-24 August for the walking festival. Tours are led in Spanish, English or German and follow different routes across the island, from the “rum route” and the “cheese route”, to the less calorific “Sistine Chapel of the Atlantic”. As you make your way around on foot, aside from the beautiful scenery you’ll be entertained with live music and traditional celebrations.

Cider festival, Gijón, Asturias

If you’ve never tried delicious Asturian cider you’re in for a treat at this annual celebration of the region’s favourite tipple between 26 and 31 August. The festival sees thousands of cider fans head to Gijón’s beach where 30,000 litres of cider are given out, as well as cider pouring competitions (it’s an art and much harder than it sounds!) and festivities across the city.

La Tomatina, Buñol, Valencia

This famous and totally off-the-wall celebration needs little introduction. 27 August is when the town of Buñol near Valencia launches tons of tomatoes on top of eager partygoers and plays host to the world’s biggest tomato fight.

]]>cider,festival,spain,fiestas,august,holidays,fiesta,party,celebrationWed, 23 Jul 2014 19:07:48 +0200NEW BILBAO YOGA RETREATShttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/bilbao-weekend-yoga-retreats/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/bilbao-weekend-yoga-retreats/Fully qualified yoga instructor Kat Webster has opened Bilbao Yoga Retreats offering a number of all-inclusive yoga packages in the beautiful seaside town of Las Arenas, located in Spain’s Basque country, just 20 minutes away from the cultural hub of Bilbao.

The three-day intensive yoga holidays cater for people of all levels and are focused on relieving the stress of everyday life to reconnect the body and nourish the soul. The retreats include accommodation in a stylish apartment set just five minutes away from the seafront and 20 minutes from the city allowing guests to enjoy their free time with a swim in the ocean, a walk exploring the city, a visit to the impressive Guggenheim Museum or simply relaxing in the natural surroundings.

Originally from London and having previously worked in the fast-paced fashion industry, Kat Webster fully understands the demands and stresses of daily life. She now works teaching yoga and meditation to help relieve some of these stresses and strains for guests.

The classes have been designed to help lose weight, tone up, aid digestion and improve natural skin texture and radiance.

Retreats are priced from £300 per person for three days including accommodation, three vegetarian meals per day cooked from locally sourced produce, (non-alcoholic) beverages, transfers to/from Bilbao and all yoga and meditation classes. Flights to Bilbao can be booked with a number of carriers including EasyJet and Vueling with prices starting from just £34.99 one way.

]]>Bilbao,Yoga,Meditation,Spain,Las Arenas,Basque countryWed, 16 Jul 2014 12:29:50 +0200CAIXAFORUM ZARAGOZA OPENShttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/caixaforum-zaragoza-opens/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/caixaforum-zaragoza-opens/The CaixaForum Zaragoza; a new cultural and social centre in Zaragoza, capital of Aragón has opened its doors to the public. This outstanding, iconic building designed by the Carme Pinós architectural studio, has a clear goal of providing a living space at the service of people in which culture plays a key role as a tool for social cohesion and integration.

This will be achieved by hosting exhibitions of all kinds, devoted to art, science and social issues as well as activities for all audiences. The doors open with a major inaugural project: Sensitive Planes and Narratives in the Image, two simultaneous exhibitions featuring works from the organisation’s collections, aimed at bringing contemporary art to the great public in an educational and enjoyable way.

The new complex opened by La Caixa Foundation in Zaragoza symbolises the commitment of this financial institution to Aragón and its citizens and makes the capital of the Aragónese region the seventh Spanish city to host a CaixaForum centre. With its two large exhibition rooms and underground auditorium, Pinós’ design is adapted perfectly to the CaixaForum philosophy and to the concept of a living space at the service of all citizens.

This innovative building has already become a landmark within the new urban spaces developed in Zaragoza; and has already received several awards including the Second ACHE (Scientific and Technical Association for Structural Concrete) Prize for Building.

In May 2014, Spain welcomed in excess of 6 million international visitors, up 5.7% year on year.

Tourism expenditure in May 2014 grew by 3.5% year on year with a total spend of €5.2 billion.

Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of May 2014, Spain has welcomed in excess of 21.4 million international visitors, up 8.2% year on year.

Total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of May 2014 has grown by 9.1% year on year to €20.1 billion.

The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest inbound tourism market accounting for 27.6% of all international visits to Spain in May 2014 and 23.2% of the total tourism expenditure.

]]>Source Markets

During May 2014, Spain welcomed more than 1.6 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 27.6% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 7.5%, with the cumulative UK visitor numbers since the start of the year up by 6.9% (to 4.8 million).

In May 2014, Germany was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, capturing 16.6% of all international visitors (+1.1%), followed by France which represented 14.8% (+11.5%).

In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, May 2014 welcomed a total spend of €5.2 billion, up 3.5% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (23.2%), followed by Germany (15.8%) and France (9.2%).

Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 21.4 million international tourists, a rise of 8.2% year on year. Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of May 2014 has grown by 9.1% to €20.1 billion, with the UK accounting for 18.9%, followed by Germany (16.8%) and the Nordic countries (11.6%).

Key destinations

During May 2014, all Spanish regions saw yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers. Catalonia was the most popular region in terms of visitor numbers and tourism expenditure welcoming in excess of 1.5 million tourists (+2.3%) and accounting for 25% of the total international tourism market to Spain. The tourism spend was in excess of 1.2 billion, up 0.5% year on year, accounting for almost a quarter (24.1%) of the total tourism expenditure to Spain during May 2014. This increase was fuelled particularly by visits from the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the Asian markets.

From January until the end of May, Catalonia has welcomed over 5.4 million international tourists (+8.0%), making it Spain’s most popular region in terms of visitor numbers, accounting for over a quarter (25.4%) of all international visits. Total tourism expenditure in Catalonia for the same period was in excess of €4.4 billion (+5.4%), accounting for 22% of the total tourism spend in Spain and making it Spain’s second most popular region in terms of expenditure this year (after the Canary Islands).

In May 2014, the Balearic Islands was the second most visited region welcoming over 1.3 million international tourists (+1.2%) and representing 22.6% of the total international tourism market - largely fuelled by visits from the UK and Holland. Despite the slight year on year increase in international visits, expenditure saw a drop of 7.7% with a total tourism spend of €995 million (representing 18.9% of the total).

Cumulatively from January until the end of May 2014 the Balearic Islands has welcomed more than 2.4 million visitors (-2.5%), representing 11.6% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €1.9 billion (-4.7%), the Balearic Islands have accounted for almost a tenth (9.6%) of Spain’s total tourism expenditure.

In May 2014 the region of Andalucía welcomed just over 858,000 international visitors, representing a notable year on year increase of 10.4% and accounting for 14.1% of all international visits. With a significant year on year increase in tourism expenditure for the same period (+12.6%), Andalucía accounted for 15.9% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure. Since January 2014, Andalucía has received more than 2.8 million international visitors (+10.1%) making it Spain’s third most popular region after Catalonia and the Canary Islands. The region has seen a total tourism expenditure of €3.1 billion, accounting for 15.5% of overall tourism spend to Spain. The growth in tourism arrivals has been fuelled mainly by the UK, France and Italy.

For May 2014, the Canary Islands saw the biggest year on year increase in terms of international arrivals with more than 776,000 international visitors (+12.9%) with the UK, Germany and France identified as the main contributors towards this growth. For the same period, the Canary Islands welcomed a total tourism expenditure of €836 million (+12.6%). Cumulatively since January 2014, the Canary Islands has welcomed over 4.8 million international visitors, accounting for Spain’s largest cumulative year on year increase in visitor traffic (+13.1%). Total tourism expenditure in the Canary Islands up until the end of May 2014 has topped €5.3 billion, accounting for the largest share (26.6%) of Spain’s total tourism spend.

Madrid and the surroundings, and the region of Valencia both saw positive growth in international visits during May 2014 (+11.7% and +2.8% respectively) as well as tourism spend (+12.4% and +8.5%). Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of May, Madrid and the surroundings has welcomed over 1.8 million visitors whilst the region of Valencia has welcomed over 2 million visitors.

Madrid and the surroundings have accounted for 10.8% of total tourism expenditure whilst the region of Valencia has accounted for 8%.

The rest of Spain also saw a positive increases in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during May 2014 (+ 9.1% and 7.2% respectively).

Average tourism spend

During May 2014, the average tourism spend in Spain was €865 (-2.0%) whilst the average daily spend was €109 (-1.9%).

UK visitors spent an average of €727 per tourist (+3.4%) with an average daily spend of €90 (-0.7%). Whilst visits from UK visitors were lengthened, their daily expenditure dropped.

Visitors from the Nordic countries had the highest spend (€950 per tourist).

Other key statistics

During May 2014, 84% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+6.2%) whilst road access accounted for 14.5% of all arrivals (+2.1%). Access via Spain’s ports dropped by 4.6% year on year, representing just 1.2% of all international arrivals.

Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (69.8%) in May 2014 (+10.7%), other types of accommodation such as staying with friends or family or rental accommodation were chosen by almost a third (30.2%) of the market (+4.4%). Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 66.5% of visitors with non-hotel accommodation accounting for 33.5%.

In terms of types of travel, during May 2014 just over a third (33.4%) of international visitors opted to visit Spain as part of a package holiday (+22.7%). The majority (66.6%) opted to travel without a package (-1.2%).

-Ends-

]]>Visitor,Statistics,Spain,Expenditure,Spend,Catalonia,Canary,Islands,Andalucia,Madrid,Valencia,increase,decrease,figures,May,2014,resultsTue, 01 Jul 2014 09:40:15 +0200MULAFEST LAUNCHES MADRID’S FIRST STREET FOOD FESTIVALhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/mulafest-launches-madrids-first-street-food-festival/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/mulafest-launches-madrids-first-street-food-festival/Today sees the start of Mulafest, Madrid’s urban arts festival that runs until Sunday 29 June. This year sees an addition to the festival, “Street Food International”, Madrid’s first ever event to celebrate international street food, a trend that has been going from strength to strength in the Spanish capital.

Over four days, visitors to Mulafest can enjoy bites from around the world at very reasonable prices. One highlight is Mario Payán and Juan Alcaide’s oriental repertoire with dishes such as ngiri, udon noodles and oriental inspired broths, available in the Tattoo area, right next to Mulafest’s most popular party spot, La Isla.

An enormous food truck will also be serving up tasty hot dogs and sandwiches, one of which has been created by Chef Estanislao Carenzo, and will be accompanied by a unique artisan beer menu from Cervezas La Virgen.

Alternatively, opt for an “international hamburger” (choices range from beef to tofu and tuna), head to one of the many more traditional tapas stalls or top up on vitamins at the juice and shake bar.

Aside from the food, Mulafest is, of course, busy showcasing all other facets of urban arts. 2014 highlights include graffiti jam sessions, the tattoo convention that will see 150 tattoo artists descend on IFEMA, and skateboarding and BMX competitions, to name but a few.

]]>mulafest,street,food,spain,madrid,gastronomyThu, 26 Jun 2014 12:35:19 +0200PREMIS G!14 THE COSTA BRAVA – PIRINEU DE GIRONA LAUNCHES 2014 JOURNALISM AWARDShttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/premis-g14-the-costa-brava--pirineu-de-girona-launches-2014-journalism-awards/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/premis-g14-the-costa-brava--pirineu-de-girona-launches-2014-journalism-awards/Premis G!14 is a popular award created to acknowledge and praise the work of journalists globally by Costa Brava Girona’s tourist board. With journalists regularly visiting and writing about the region, the tourist board aims to give something back for all the fantastic articles that help to promote all the varied facets of the region, from the outstanding beaches and ski resorts of the Pyrenees to the diverse culture including the works of Salvador Dalí.

The nomination period is open until 10 September 2014 and there are categories for audio visual media (radio, television, cinema), print media (newspapers, magazines, guides, books), digital media (blogs, online articles, videos and contributions on social channels). Each entry will be judged by a jury from a multitude of media backgrounds including the President of the Costa Brava Girona Tourism Board and winners will be announced in a ceremony in December 2014.

To enter, visit http://premisg14.costabrava.org/ or alternatively, work can be presented up until the 10 September at the headquarters of the Costa Brava Girona Tourism Board (Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, Av. de Sant Francesc, 29, 3a, 17001 Girona - Spain).

]]>Premis,G,2014,journalist,journalism,awards,Girona,Costa,Brava,Spain,Tourism,Internet,newspaper,magazine,mediaMon, 23 Jun 2014 11:07:35 +0200FELIPE VI IS PROCLAIMED KING OF SPAINhttp://socialnewsroom.spain.info/felipe-vi-is-proclaimed-king-of-spain/
http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/felipe-vi-is-proclaimed-king-of-spain/Felipe VI has been proclaimed the king of Spain in a ceremony earlier today at Spain’s Congress building.

Accompanied by his wife Queen Letizia and his daughters Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia, Felipe VI swore an oath promising to uphold the constitution following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos.

Earlier, King Felipe received the royal sash from his father, Juan Carlos, in a low key ceremony at Zarzuela Palace.

Crowds of well-wishers lined the streets to welcome their new king and queen during Spain’s first royal transition since democracy was restored in the 1970s.